Bandwidth resource configuration method, apparatus, and system

ABSTRACT

A method includes: communicating, by a base station, first UE specific information of UE with the UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource; and sending, by the base station, information about a UE target operating bandwidth resource of the UE to the UE in a UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE, where the UE target operating bandwidth resource is used by the base station to communicate second UE specific information of the UE with the UE, and the UE source operating bandwidth resource is not completely the same as the UE calibration bandwidth resource.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of International Application No.PCT/CN2018/091668, filed on Jun. 15, 2018, which claims priority toChinese Patent Application No. 201710459800.3, filed on Jun. 16, 2017.The disclosures of the aforementioned applications are herebyincorporated by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the field of communications technologies,and in particular, to a bandwidth resource configuration method, anapparatus, and a system.

BACKGROUND

In a wireless communications system, when system bandwidth is greaterthan bandwidth supported by a UE, a base station may configure abandwidth resource for the UE. The base station and the UE may considerthe configured bandwidth resource as an operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE for the base station and the UE to communicate UE specificinformation. The bandwidth resource may be a part of a system resource,and bandwidth of the bandwidth resource may be less than the systembandwidth. When the base station and the UE have inconsistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource of the UE, normalcommunication between the base station and the UE may fail.

SUMMARY

This application provides a bandwidth resource configuration method, anapparatus, and a system, and an access method, an apparatus, and asystem.

A network device (for example, a base station) sends a downlinktransmission to user equipment (UE) in a first bandwidth part, and sendsinformation about a second bandwidth part to the user equipment in oneor more third bandwidth parts. The UE receives the information about thesecond bandwidth part from the network device. The second bandwidth partis a bandwidth part to which the user equipment is to switch. The thirdbandwidth part is an access bandwidth part, or the third bandwidth partis a bandwidth part of one or more candidate operating bandwidth partsof the user equipment. In the design, the network device and the UE canhave consistent understandings about an operating bandwidth resource.When switching between bandwidth parts, the UE may switch to the secondbandwidth part based on the information about the second bandwidth partthat is indicated by the network device, thereby ensuring communicationbetween the UE and the network device as normal.

According to a first aspect, this application provides a method forbandwidth resource configuration. The method includes communicating, bya network device, first UE specific information with the UE in a UEsource operating bandwidth resource. The method also includes sendinginformation about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE ina UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE. The UE target operatingbandwidth resource is used to communicate second UE specific informationof the UE with the UE, and some or all frequency resources included inthe UE source operating bandwidth resource are not included in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource, or some or all frequency resourcesincluded in the UE calibration bandwidth resource are not included inthe UE source operating bandwidth resource. The information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource is carried by a physical downlinkcontrol channel. The network device may further send the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UEsource operating bandwidth resource. In the method provided in the firstaspect, the UE may receive, in the calibration bandwidth resource, theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource configuredby a gNB for the UE, so that the UE can calibrate a configuration of anoperating bandwidth resource of the UE. Therefore, a probability thatthe gNB and the UE have inconsistent understandings about the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE can be reduced, or when the gNB and the UEhave inconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resourceof the UE, corresponding calibration can be performed, so that the gNBand the UE can have consistent understandings about the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: sending, by the networkdevice, frequency resource location information of a UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource to the UE, where the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is a subset of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource(s), and the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s)is/are at least one bandwidth resource of the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource(s); or the UE target operating bandwidth resource isa subset of a set including the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource and the UE calibration bandwidth resource, and the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource indicates that the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one bandwidthresource in the set. In the design, the UE target operating bandwidthresource may be configured for the UE by a relatively small quantity ofinformation bits, as well as indicating that the UE target operatingbandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one of a plurality of bandwidthresources.

In one embodiment, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the network device to the UE includes frequencyresource location information of the UE target operating bandwidthresource. In the design, a resource of a system resource can be flexiblyconfigured as the UE target operating bandwidth resource. A resource isflexibly configured for the UE for communication between the gNB and theUE, so that a resource with relatively good channel quality in thesystem resource can be configured for the UE, thereby increasing a rateof data transmission between the gNB and the UE. Further, a parametercan be flexibly configured for the UE, to meet a quality of service(QoS) requirement of a service of the UE. Further, a forward compatiblecommunications system can be provided.

In one embodiment, the network device sends the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource of the UE in a first period, where the first periodincludes an integer quantity of first time units.

In one embodiment, before sending the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE calibration bandwidthresource of the UE, the network device receives a first request from theUE, where the first request is used to request to send the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE.

According to a second aspect, this application provides a method forbandwidth resource configuration. The method includes communicating, byUE, first UE specific information with a network device in a UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource. The method also includes receiving, in aUE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE, information about a UEtarget operating bandwidth resource from the network device. The UEtarget operating bandwidth resource is used to communicate second UEspecific information of the UE with the network device, and some or allfrequency resources included in the UE source operating bandwidthresource are not included in the UE calibration bandwidth resource, orsome or all frequency resources included in the UE calibration bandwidthresource are not included in the UE source operating bandwidth resource.The information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource iscarried by a physical downlink control channel. The UE may furtherreceive, in the UE source operating bandwidth resource, the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource from the networkdevice.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: receiving frequencyresource location information of a UE candidate operating bandwidthresource from the network device, where the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is a subset of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource(s), and the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s)is/are at least one bandwidth resource of the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource(s); or the UE target operating bandwidth resource isa subset of a set including the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource and the UE calibration bandwidth resource, and the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource indicates that the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one bandwidthresource in the set.

In one embodiment, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource includes frequency resource location information ofthe UE target operating bandwidth resource.

In one embodiment, the UE receives, in the UE calibration bandwidthresource of the UE in a first period, the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource from the network device, where thefirst period includes an integer quantity of first time units. A firsttimer is started or restarted if the first UE specific information ofthe UE from network device is received in the UE source operatingbandwidth resource. After the first timer expires, the UE receive theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource from thenetwork device in the UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE. Inthe design, if the UE needs to switch from the UE source operatingbandwidth resource to the UE calibration bandwidth resource and/or needsto switch from the UE calibration bandwidth resource to the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource when receiving the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource, the method can reduce switching ofthe UE between different bandwidth resources, thereby reducing anintroduced switching time, saving a time domain air interface resourcefor the UE, and increasing a rate of data transmission.

In one embodiment, before receiving, in the UE calibration bandwidthresource of the UE, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the network device, the UE sends a first requestto the network device, where the first request is used to request thenetwork device to send the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource to the UE. In the design, if the UE needs to switchfrom the UE source operating bandwidth resource to the UE calibrationbandwidth resource and/or needs to switch from the UE calibrationbandwidth resource to the UE target operating bandwidth resource whenreceiving the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource, the method can reduce switching of the UE between differentbandwidth resources, thereby reducing an introduced switching time,saving a time domain air interface resource for the UE, and increasing arate of data transmission.

In one embodiment, before receiving, in the UE calibration bandwidthresource of the UE, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the network device, the UE switches from the UEsource operating bandwidth resource to the UE calibration bandwidthresource in a first guard period; and/or after receiving, in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource of the UE, the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource from the network device, the UEswitches from the UE calibration bandwidth resource to the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource in a second guard period.

According to a third aspect, this application provides a method forbandwidth resource configuration. The method includes communicating, bya network device, first UE specific information of the UE with the UE ina UE source operating bandwidth resource. The method also includessending, by the network device, information about a UE target operatingbandwidth resource to the UE in the UE source operating bandwidthresource, and considering the UE target operating bandwidth resource asan operating bandwidth resource to communicate second UE specificinformation of the UE with the UE. The method also includes starting, bythe network device, a second timer. The method also includes, duringrunning of the second timer, if the network device receives a feedbackfrom the UE in response to a channel carrying the information about theUE target operating bandwidth resource, stopping the second timer. Themethod also includes, after the second timer expires, considering, bythe network device, the UE source operating bandwidth resource as theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE. The information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource is carried by a physical downlinkcontrol channel. In the design, by a fallback mechanism of the networkdevice, it can be ensured that the UE and the network device haveconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource of theUE. If the network device receives no feedback, the network deviceconsiders that the UE may fail to receive or fail to correctly receivethe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource,considers that the UE may not use the UE target operating bandwidthresource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE, and considersthat the UE may use the UE source operating bandwidth resource as theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE. Therefore, the network devicemay consider the UE source operating bandwidth resource as the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: sending, by the networkdevice, frequency resource location information of a UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource to the UE, where the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is a subset of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource, and the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s)is/are at least one bandwidth resource of the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource(s); or the UE target operating bandwidth resource isa subset of a set including the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource and the UE source operating bandwidth resource, and theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource indicatesthat the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least onebandwidth resource in the set.

In one embodiment, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource includes frequency resource location information ofthe UE target operating bandwidth resource.

According to a fourth aspect, this application provides a method forbandwidth resource configuration. The method includes communicating, bya UE, first UE specific information of the UE with a network device in aUE source operating bandwidth resource. The method also includesreceiving, by the UE in the UE source operating bandwidth resource,information about a UE target operating bandwidth resource from thenetwork device, and considering the UE target operating bandwidthresource as an operating bandwidth resource to communicate second UEspecific information of the UE with the network device. The method alsoincludes sending, by the UE, a feedback to the network device, where thefeedback is a feedback in response to a channel carrying the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource. The method alsoincludes starting, by the UE, a third timer. The method also includesstopping the third timer if the UE receives, in the UE target operatingbandwidth resource, the second UE specific information from the networkdevice. The method also includes, after the third timer expires,considering, by the UE, the UE source operating bandwidth resource asthe operating bandwidth resource of the UE. In the design, after thethird timer expires, if the UE receives no second UE specificinformation, the UE considers that the network device may fail toreceive or fail to correctly receive the feedback, and the UE considersthat the network device may use the UE source bandwidth resource as theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE. Therefore, the UE may considerthe UE source bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE, so that the network device and the UE can have consistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: receiving, by the UE,frequency resource location information of a UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource from the network device, where the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is a subset of the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource, and the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidthresource(s) is/are at least one bandwidth resource of the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource(s); or the UE target operating bandwidthresource is a subset of a set including the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource and the UE source operating bandwidth resource, andthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resourceindicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are atleast one bandwidth resource in the set.

In one embodiment, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource includes frequency resource location information ofthe UE target operating bandwidth resource.

According to a fifth aspect, this application provides a method forbandwidth resource configuration. The method includes communicating, byUE, first UE specific information of the UE from a network device in aUE source operating bandwidth resource. The method also includesreceiving, by the UE in the UE source operating bandwidth resource,information about a UE target operating bandwidth resource from thenetwork device, and considering the UE target operating bandwidthresource as an operating bandwidth resource to communicate second UEspecific information of the UE with the network device. The method alsoincludes sending, by the UE, a feedback to the network device, where thefeedback is a feedback in response to a channel carrying the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource. The method alsoincludes sending, by the UE, a second request to the network device. Themethod also includes considering, by the UE, the UE source operatingbandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE if theUE receives, in the UE target operating bandwidth resource, no firstresponse from the network device, where the first response is inresponse to the second request. The information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is carried by a physical downlink controlchannel. In the design, if the UE receives no first response, the UEconsiders that a gNB may fail to receive or fail to correctly receivethe feedback, and the UE considers that the gNB may use the UE sourcebandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.Therefore, the UE may consider the UE source bandwidth resource as theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, so that the gNB and the UE canhave consistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: receiving, by the UE,frequency resource location information of a UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource from the network device, where the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is a subset of the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource, and the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidthresource(s) is/are at least one bandwidth resource of the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource(s); or the UE target operating bandwidthresource is a subset of a set including the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource and the UE source operating bandwidth resource, andthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resourceindicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are atleast one bandwidth resource in the set.

In one embodiment, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource includes frequency resource location information ofthe UE target operating bandwidth resource.

According to a sixth aspect, this application provides a method foraccessing. The method includes starting or restarting, by UE, a fourthtimer if the UE receives, in an operating bandwidth resource of the UE,third UE specific information from a network device. The method alsoincludes accessing, by the UE, the network device after the fourth timerexpires. In the method, based on the timer, if the fourth timer expiresin the operating bandwidth resource of the UE, the UE considers that theUE and the network device may have inconsistent understandings about theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, and the UE accesses the networkdevice. After the access, the UE and the network device can haveconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource of theUE.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: communicating, by theUE, first UE specific information of the UE with the network device in aUE source operating bandwidth resource; receiving, by the UE in the UEsource operating bandwidth resource, information about a UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the network device, and consideringthe UE target operating bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidthresource of the UE; and starting the fourth timer, where the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is used to communicate the third UEspecific information of the UE with the network device. In the method,after the operating bandwidth resource is reconfigured for the UE, ifthe fourth timer expires in the operating bandwidth resource of the UE,the UE considers that the UE and the network device may haveinconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE, and the UE accesses the network device. After the access, the UEand the network device can have consistent understandings about theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE.

According to a seventh aspect, this application provides a method foraccessing. The method includes sending, by UE, a third request to anetwork device. The method also includes accessing the network device ifthe UE receives, in an operating bandwidth resource of the UE, no secondresponse from the network device, where the second response is inresponse to the third request. In the method, according to a requestfeedback mechanism, if no second response is received in the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE, the UE considers that the UE and thenetwork device may have inconsistent understandings about the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE, and the UE accesses the network device.After the access, the UE and the network device can have consistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

According to an eighth aspect, this application provides a device. Thedevice can implement a function of the network device in the foregoingmethod. The function may be implemented in a form of hardware, software,or hardware and software. The hardware or the software includes one ormore modules corresponding to the function. For example, the deviceincludes: a processor and a memory. The memory is coupled to theprocessor, and the processor executes a program instruction stored inthe memory. The device may also include a transceiver, where thetransceiver is coupled to the processor. The processor utilizes thetransceiver to: communicate first UE specific information of the UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource; and send informationabout a UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in a UEcalibration bandwidth resource of the UE, where the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is used to communicate second UE specific informationof the UE with the UE, and some or all frequency resources included inthe UE source operating bandwidth resource are not included in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource, or some or all frequency resourcesincluded in the UE calibration bandwidth resource are not included inthe UE source operating bandwidth resource.

According to a ninth aspect, this application provides a device. Thedevice can implement a function of the UE in the foregoing method. Thefunction may be implemented in a form of hardware, software, or hardwareand software. The hardware or the software includes one or more modulescorresponding to the function. For example, the device includes: aprocessor and a memory, where the memory is coupled to the processor.The processor executes a program instruction stored in the memory. Thedevice may also include a transceiver, where the transceiver is coupledto the processor. The processor utilizes the transceiver to: communicatefirst UE specific information of the UE with a network device in a UEsource operating bandwidth resource; and receive, in a UE calibrationbandwidth resource of the UE, information about a UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the network device, where the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is used to communicate second UE specificinformation of the UE with the network device, and some or all frequencyresources included in the UE source operating bandwidth resource are notincluded in the UE calibration bandwidth resource, or some or allfrequency resources included in the UE calibration bandwidth resourceare not included in the UE source operating bandwidth resource.

According to a tenth aspect, this application provides a system,including the device in the eighth aspect and the device in the ninthaspect.

According to an eleventh aspect, this application provides a chipsystem. The chip system includes a processor, and may further include amemory, to support a network device in performing a function of thenetwork device in the foregoing method. The chip system may include achip, or may include a chip and other discrete device(s).

According to a twelfth aspect, this application provides a chip system.The chip system includes a processor, and may further include a memory,to support UE in performing a function of the UE in the foregoingmethod. The chip system may include a chip, or may include a chip andother discrete device(s).

According to a thirteenth aspect, this application provides a computerprogram product including an instruction. When the instruction isexecuted by a computer, the computer performs at least one of themethods described in the first aspect, the designs of the first aspect,the third aspect, and the designs of the third aspect.

According to a fourteenth aspect, this application provides a computerprogram product including an instruction. When the instruction isexecuted by a computer, the computer performs at least one of themethods described in the second aspect, the designs of the secondaspect, the fourth aspect, the designs of the fourth aspect, the fifthaspect, the designs of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, and theseventh aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To describe technical solutions in embodiments of this application moreclearly, the following describes the accompanying drawings required forthe embodiments in this application.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a frequency resource according to anembodiment of this application;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first bandwidth resourceconfiguration method according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 3 is a possible schematic structural diagram of system bandwidthaccording to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 4 is a possible schematic structural diagram of a subband includedin system bandwidth according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a UE candidate operating bandwidthresource according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a second bandwidth resourceconfiguration method according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing that UE receives, in a UEcalibration bandwidth resource, information about a UE target operatingbandwidth resource from a gNB according to an embodiment of thisapplication;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a third bandwidth resourceconfiguration method according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a fourth bandwidth resourceconfiguration method according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a fifth bandwidth resourceconfiguration method according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a sixth bandwidth resourceconfiguration method according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a first access method according to anembodiment of this application;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a second access method according to anembodiment of this application;

FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus according toan embodiment of this application;

FIG. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of another apparatus accordingto an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of still another apparatusaccording to an embodiment of this application; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic structural diagram of yet another apparatusaccording to an embodiment of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Network architectures and service scenarios described in the embodimentsof this application are intended to describe the technical solutions inthe embodiments of this application more clearly, but do not constitutea limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments ofthis application. As the network architectures evolve and a new servicescenario emerges, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments ofthis application are also applicable to a similar technical problem.

The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this applicationmay be applied to a wireless communications system, such as a fifthgeneration mobile communications technology (5G) system, in which afrequency resource can be allocated. The technical solutions provided inthe embodiments of this application may be further applied to otherorthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based network, forexample, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system. In the embodiments of thisapplication, the terms “system” and “network” are similar in scope.

The wireless communications system includes communications devices. Thecommunications devices include a network device and user equipment (UE),and wireless communication between the communications devices may beperformed by an air interface resource. The network device may also bereferred to as a network side device. The wireless communication betweenthe communications devices includes: wireless communication between anetwork device and UE, and wireless communication between networkdevices. When the wireless communication between the communicationsdevices is performed by the air interface resource, a communicationsdevice managing and/or allocating the air interface resource may also bereferred to as a scheduling entity, and a scheduled communicationsdevice may also be referred to as a subordinate entity. For example,when the network device and the UE perform wireless communication, thenetwork device may also be referred to as a scheduling entity, and theUE may also be referred to as a subordinate entity. In the embodimentsof this application, the technical solutions provided in the embodimentsof this application may be described by using the wireless communicationbetween the network device and the UE as an example. The technicalsolutions may be applied to wireless communication between a schedulingentity and a subordinate entity. In the embodiments of this application,the term “wireless communication” may also be referred to as“communication” for short, and the term “communication” may also bedescribed as “data transmission”.

The UE in the embodiments of this application includes a handhelddevice, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, or a computing devicewith a wireless communication function. In the embodiments of thisapplication, the UE may also be referred to as a terminal, terminalequipment (TE), or the like. This is not limited in this application.

The network device in the embodiments of this application includes abase station (BS), and the network device may be a device that isdeployed in a radio access network and that can perform wirelesscommunication with the UE. The base station may have a plurality offorms, such as a macro base station, a micro base station, a relaystation, and an access point. When the macro base station and the microbase station perform wireless communication by a wireless backhaul, themacro base station may also be referred to as a scheduling entity, andthe micro base station may also be referred to as a subordinate entity.For example, the base station in the embodiments of this application maybe a base station in the 5G system. The base station in the 5G systemmay also be referred to as a transmission reception point (TRP for) or ageneration NodeB (gNB). Alternatively, the base station in theembodiments of this application may be an evolved NodeB (eNB or e-NodeB)in LTE. The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of thisapplication may be described using an example in which the base stationis the gNB in the 5G system and the gNB and the UE perform wirelesscommunication. The technical solutions may be applied to wirelesscommunication between a scheduling entity and a subordinate entity. Aperson skilled in the art may apply the technical solutions provided inthe embodiments of this application to wireless communication betweenother scheduling entity(ies) and other subordinate entity(ies) withoutcreative efforts.

In the wireless communications system, the gNB and the UE may performwireless communication by an air interface resource. The air interfaceresource may include a frequency resource, and the frequency resourcemay fall within a specified frequency range. The frequency range mayalso be referred to as a band. In frequency domain, a center point ofthe frequency resource may be referred to as center frequency. A widthof the frequency resource may be referred to as bandwidth (BW). Forexample, FIG. 1 shows a possible schematic structural diagram of afrequency resource. As shown in FIG. 1, the frequency resource may be aresource segment in a band, a bandwidth of the frequency resource is W,a frequency at a center frequency is F, and frequencies at boundarypoints of the frequency resource are F−W/2 and F+W/2. It may also bedescribed as that, the highest frequency of the frequency resource isF+W/2, and the lowest frequency of the frequency resource is F−W/2.

In the case of wireless communication between the gNB and the UE, thegNB manages a system frequency resource, and allocates a frequencyresource in the system frequency resource to the UE, so that the gNB andthe UE can perform communication in the allocated frequency resource.The system frequency resource is a frequency resource that the networkdevice can manage and allocate. In the embodiments of this application,the system frequency resource may also be referred to as a “systemresource” for short. In the frequency domain, a width of the systemfrequency resource may be referred to as bandwidth of the systemfrequency resource, and may also be referred to as system bandwidth ortransmission bandwidth. In a communications system, as a UE trafficvolume increases, especially as a quantity of UEs increases, a systemtraffic volume increases significantly. Therefore, in an existingcommunications system, a design in which system bandwidth is largebandwidth is proposed to provide a relatively high rate of datatransmission in the system. In a system with large system bandwidth, inconsideration of UE costs and a UE traffic volume, bandwidth supportedby the UE may be much less than the system bandwidth. The bandwidthsupported by the UE may also be referred to as a bandwidth capability ofthe UE. As the bandwidth supported by the UE is larger, processingcapability of the UE is stronger, a data transmission rate of the UE maybe higher, and design costs of the UE may be higher. For example, in the5G system, maximum system bandwidth may be 400 MHz, and a bandwidthcapability of UE may be 20 MHz, 50 MHz, or 100 MHz. In the wirelesscommunications system, bandwidth capabilities of different UEs may bethe same or may be different. This is not limited in the embodiments ofthis application.

When system bandwidth is large bandwidth, a method for allocating, bythe gNB, a frequency resource to the UE is as follows. First, the gNBdynamically configures an operating bandwidth resource of the UE for theUE by signaling. The operating bandwidth resource configured for the UEis included in a system frequency resource, and bandwidth of theoperating bandwidth resource may be less than or equal to bandwidthsupported by the UE. Then, the gNB allocates a frequency resource in theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE to the UE, so that the gNB andthe UE can perform wireless communication in the allocated frequencyresource.

In the embodiments of this application, a bandwidth resource is includedin a system frequency resource, and may be all or some consecutive orinconsecutive resources of the system frequency resource. The bandwidthresource may also be referred to as a bandwidth part, a frequencyresource, a frequency resource part, a part of a frequency resource, orother names. This is not limited in this application. When the bandwidthresource is a segment of consecutive resources in the system frequencyresource, the bandwidth resource may also be referred to as a subband, anarrowband, or other names. This is not limited in this application. Inan OFDM-based system, a corresponding parameter may be configured for abandwidth resource. The parameter includes at least one of a subcarrierspacing or a cyclic prefix (CP). When the third Generation PartnershipProject (3GPP) researches and develops standards for the wirelesscommunications system, an English name of the parameter may also bereferred to as numerology. Parameter values of different bandwidthresources may be the same or may be different. This is not limited inthis application.

In the embodiments of this application, the operating bandwidth resourceof the UE may also be described as a bandwidth resource for UE specificinformation transmission between the gNB and the UE. The UE specificinformation includes at least one of UE specific downlink controlinformation (DCI), UE specific uplink control information (UCI), UEspecific information carried by a data channel, or a UE specificreference signal. The UE specific information transmission between thegNB and the UE includes: at least one of sending UE specific informationfrom the gNB to the UE, receiving, by the gNB, UE specific informationfrom UE, receiving, by the UE, UE specific information from gNB, orsending UE specific information from the UE to the gNB. For example, theUE may receive a PDCCH from the gNB in a specific search space, toreceive DCI carried by the PDCCH. Further, the operating bandwidthresource of the UE may also be referred to as an operating bandwidthresource, a UE operating bandwidth resource, a bandwidth resource, orother names. This is not limited in this application. Further, operatingbandwidth resources of different UEs may be the same or may bedifferent. This is not limited in this application. For example, anoperating bandwidth resource can be shared by multiple UEs, or anoperating bandwidth resource may be separately configured for each UE.

If the gNB dynamically configures the operating bandwidth resource forthe UE by signaling, the gNB and the UE may have inconsistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.Consequently, neither the gNB can receive data from the UE, nor the UEcan receive data from the gNB. In other words, the gNB and the UE cannotperform data transmission as normal. The gNB and the UE may haveinconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE in the following scenarios. For example, if the gNB dynamicallyreconfigures the operating bandwidth resource for the UE by signaling,and the UE is not required to send a feedback in response to thesignaling to the gNB, the UE may miss detecting the signaling orincorrectly detect the signaling. In this case, the gNB may considerthat the operating bandwidth resource is a UE target operating bandwidthresource, but the UE may consider that the operating bandwidth resourceis a UE source operating bandwidth resource. In other words, the gNB andthe UE may have inconsistent understandings about the operatingbandwidth resource. For another example, if the gNB dynamicallyreconfigures the operating bandwidth resource for the UE by signaling,and the UE sends a feedback in response to the signaling to the gNB, thegNB may miss detecting the feedback or incorrectly detect the feedback.In this case, the gNB may consider that the operating bandwidth resourceis a UE source operating bandwidth resource, but the UE may considerthat the operating bandwidth resource is a UE target operating bandwidthresource. In other words, the gNB and the UE may have inconsistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource.

In the embodiments of this application, when the gNB reconfigures theoperating bandwidth resource for the UE, the UE source operatingbandwidth resource is an operating bandwidth resource before thereconfiguration. The UE source operating bandwidth resource may also bereferred to as a source operating bandwidth resource, a source operatingbandwidth resource of the UE, a source bandwidth resource, a firstbandwidth resource, or other names. This is not limited in thisapplication. Further, the UE source operating bandwidth resource may beone or more bandwidth resources. It may also be understood that, the gNBmay configure one or more operating bandwidth resources for the UE.

In the embodiments of this application, when the gNB reconfigures theoperating bandwidth resource for the UE, the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is an operating bandwidth resource that isreconfigured by the gNB for the UE. After the reconfiguration of theoperating bandwidth resource takes effect, the gNB and the UE mayconsider the UE target operating bandwidth resource as the operatingbandwidth resource. The UE target operating bandwidth resource may alsobe referred to as a target operating bandwidth resource, a targetoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, a target bandwidth resource, asecond bandwidth resource, or other names. This is not limited in thisapplication. Further, the UE target operating bandwidth resource may beone or more bandwidth resources. It may also be understood that, the gNBmay configure one or more operating bandwidth resources for the UEduring the reconfiguration.

To resolve the foregoing problem that a gNB and UE have inconsistentunderstandings about a UE operating bandwidth resource, the embodimentsof this application provide a plurality of technical solutions, and acorresponding method, apparatus, and system related to each technicalsolution are separately described below by using an example. Theapparatus in this application sometimes may also be referred to as acommunication apparatus.

A first technical solution is as follows.

In the first technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, a UE calibration bandwidth resource is introduced for a gNBsending information about a UE target operating bandwidth resource toUE. Specifically, the gNB communicates first UE specific informationwith the UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource. The gNB sendsthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource to theUE in the UE calibration bandwidth resource. The UE target operatingbandwidth resource is used by the gNB to communicate second UE specificinformation with the UE. The UE source operating bandwidth resource isnot completely the same as the UE calibration bandwidth resource. In thefirst technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, the UE receive, in the calibration bandwidth resource, theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource configuredby the gNB for the UE, so that the UE can calibrate a configuration ofan operating bandwidth resource. Therefore, a probability that the gNBand the UE have inconsistent understandings about the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE can be reduced, or when the gNB and the UEhave inconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource,corresponding calibration can be performed, so that the gNB and the UEcan have consistent understandings about the operating bandwidthresource of the UE.

In the first technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, the UE calibration bandwidth resource is not completely thesame as the UE source operating bandwidth resource, and is used by thegNB to send the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource to the UE. The UE calibration bandwidth resource may also bereferred to as a calibration bandwidth resource, a configurationbandwidth resource, a UE configuration bandwidth resource, a thirdbandwidth resource, or other names. This is not limited in thisapplication. In a possible implementation, the UE calibration bandwidthresource may be a bandwidth resource used by the gNB to send asynchronization signal and/or a broadcast channel to the UE. The UEcalibration bandwidth resource can be shared by a plurality of UEs. Insuch a scenario, the UE calibration bandwidth resource may also bereferred to as a common bandwidth resource or other names. This is notlimited in this application. In another possible implementation, the UEcalibration bandwidth resource may be a bandwidth resource used by theUE to initially access the gNB. The bandwidth resource can be shared bya plurality of UEs. In such a scenario, the UE calibration bandwidthresource may also be referred to as an access bandwidth resource, aninitial access bandwidth resource, or other names. This is not limitedin this application. The bandwidth resource used by the gNB to send thesynchronization signal and/or the broadcast channel to the UE and thebandwidth resource used by the UE to initial access to the gNB may be asame bandwidth resource or different bandwidth resources. This is notlimited in this application.

In the first technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, the gNB may periodically send the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource. In the method, the UE may periodically receive theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource. The UE periodically calibrates theconfiguration of the operating bandwidth resource. Alternatively, the UEdetermines whether the UE needs to perform calibration, and if the UEneeds to perform calibration, the UE receives the information about theUE target operating bandwidth resource.

In the first technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, the gNB may alternatively send, based on a received firstrequest from the UE, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource to the UE in the UE calibration bandwidth resource.The first request is used to request the gNB to send the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE.

Further, in the first technical solution provided in the embodiments ofthis application, the gNB may further send the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the operating bandwidthresource of the UE.

A second technical solution is as follows.

In the second technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, an operating bandwidth resource fallback mechanism(referred to as a “fallback mechanism” in the following) is introduced.

In the second technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, the fallback mechanism is introduced on a gNB side. A gNBcommunicates first UE specific information with the UE in a UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource. The gNB further sends information about aUE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource. The UE target operating bandwidth resourceis used by the gNB to communicate second UE specific information of theUE with the UE. If the gNB receives no feedback, the gNB considers theUE source operating bandwidth resource of the UE as an operatingbandwidth resource of the UE. The feedback is a feedback in response toa channel carrying the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource. In the method, if the gNB receives no feedback, itindicates that the UE may fail to receive or fail to correctly receivethe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource, andthe UE may still consider the UE source operating bandwidth resource asthe operating bandwidth resource of the UE. Therefore, the gNB performsa fallback to the UE source operating bandwidth resource, and the gNBconsiders the UE source operating bandwidth resource as the operatingbandwidth resource, thereby ensuring that the UE and the gNB haveconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource.

In the second technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, the fallback mechanism may be introduced on a UE side. A UEcommunicates first UE specific information of the UE with a gNB in a UEsource operating bandwidth resource. The UE further receives, in the UEsource operating bandwidth resource, information about a UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE, and considers theUE target operating bandwidth resource as an operating bandwidthresource of the UE to communicate second UE specific information of theUE with the UE. The UE sends a feedback to the gNB. The feedback is afeedback in response to a channel carrying the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource. If the UE receives, in the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource, no second UE specific informationfrom the gNB, the UE considers the UE source operating bandwidthresource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE. Alternatively,the UE sends a second request to the gNB, and if the UE receives, in theUE target operating bandwidth resource, no first response from gNB, theUE considers the UE source operating bandwidth resource as the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE. In the method, if the UE receives nosecond UE specific information or receives no first response, itindicates that the gNB may fail to receive or fail to correctly receivethe feedback from the UE, and the gNB may still consider the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of theUE. Therefore, the UE performs a fallback to the UE source operatingbandwidth resource, and the UE considers the UE source operatingbandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE,thereby ensuring that the UE and the gNB have consistent understandingsabout the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

In the first technical solution and the second technical solution thatare provided in the embodiments of this application, the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource that is sent by the gNBto the UE may be either of the following two types of information.

First type of information: The information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE may indicate that the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one bandwidthresource of UE candidate operating bandwidth resource(s), or mayindicate that the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are atleast one bandwidth resource in a set including the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource(s) and the UE calibration bandwidthresource. Resource location information of at least one bandwidthresource of the UE candidate operating bandwidth resource(s) may beconfigured for the gNB and the UE in a pre-configuration manner, or maybe configured for the UE in a manner in which the gNB sends informationto the UE.

Second type of information: The information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE includes frequencyresource location information of the UE target operating bandwidthresource.

A third technical solution is as follows.

In the third technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication, an access mechanism is introduced. In an operatingbandwidth resource of UE, if the UE determines that the UE and a gNB mayhave inconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resourceof the UE, the UE accesses the gNB. In the method, the UE accesses thegNB, so that communication between the UE and the gNB as normal can berestored.

Based on the foregoing described three technical solutions provided inthe embodiments of this application, methods, apparatuses, and systemsthat are related to the three technical solutions are further describedbelow in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a first method for bandwidth resource configurationaccording to an embodiment of this application. The method correspondsto the first technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication.

Step 201: A gNB communicates first UE specific information of UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource.

Step 202: In a UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE, the gNBsends information about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to theUE, and the UE receives the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB. The UE target operating bandwidthresource is used by the gNB to communicate second UE specificinformation of the UE with the UE. The UE source operating bandwidthresource is not totally the same as the UE calibration bandwidthresource.

The gNB sends the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource of the UE to the UE by signaling. The signaling is dynamicsignaling, and may be carried by a physical downlink control channel(PDCCH). When the gNB sends the PDCCH, a cyclic redundancy code (CRC) ofinformation carried by the PDCCH may be scrambled by a correspondingradio network temporary identifier (RNTI) for error detection ontransmission of the PDCCH. The UE receives the PDCCH, and decodes thecontrol channel based on the corresponding RNTI, to obtain theinformation carried by the PDCCH. If the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE is UE specificinformation, and the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource is carried by the PDCCH, the gNB may scramble, by using a UEspecific RNTI, the CRC of the information carried by the PDCCH. The UEspecific RNTI may be a cell RNTI (C-RNTI). If the information about theUE target operating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE is sharedby a plurality of UEs, and the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is carried by the PDCCH, the gNB may scramble, usinga common RNTI, the CRC of the information carried by the PDCCH. Theplurality of UEs may be all or some UEs in a cell.

In the embodiments of this application, the signaling includessemi-static signaling and dynamic signaling. The semi-static signalinginclude at least one of radio resource control (RRC) signaling, abroadcast message, a system message, or a media access control (MAC)control element (CE). The dynamic signaling include at least one ofsignaling carried by a physical downlink control channel or signalingcarried by a physical downlink data channel. The signaling carried bythe physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) may be referred to asdownlink control information (DCI).

That the UE source operating bandwidth resource is not totally the sameas the UE calibration bandwidth resource may also be described asfollows. Some or all frequency resources included in the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource are not included in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource, or some or all frequency resources included in theUE calibration bandwidth resource are not included in the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource. For example, in an OFDM-basedcommunications system, that the UE source operating bandwidth resourceis not totally the same as the UE calibration bandwidth resource may beas follows: At least one subcarrier included in the UE source operatingbandwidth resource is not included in the UE calibration bandwidthresource, or at least one subcarrier included in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource is not included in the UE source operating bandwidthresource.

The gNB and the UE may determine frequency resource location informationof the UE calibration bandwidth resource in a preconfiguration manner.Alternatively, the gNB may configure the UE calibration bandwidthresource for the UE in a signaling configuration manner. The gNB sendssignaling to the UE, and the signaling indicates the frequency resourcelocation information of the UE calibration bandwidth resource.Correspondingly, the UE receives the signaling from the gNB, todetermine the frequency resource location information of the UEcalibration bandwidth resource. For a bandwidth resource, for example,the UE calibration bandwidth resource, frequency resource locationinformation of the bandwidth resource may be any one of the following afirst type of frequency resource location information to a fifth type offrequency resource location information:

The first type of frequency resource location information includes abitmap used to configure resource blocks (RB) or resource block groups(RBG) that are in system bandwidth and that are included in thebandwidth resource. In the embodiments of this application, the RB andthe RBG are resource units in the OFDM-based communications system. Inthe OFDM-based communications system, in frequency domain, a systemresource includes several resource grids, one resource grid correspondsto one subcarrier, and one RB includes C1 resource grids. C1 is aninteger greater than 1, and for example, C1 is 12. The system bandwidthmay be described as C2 RBs. C2 is an integer greater than or equal to 1.Further, in time domain, one RB may include C3 symbols. C3 is an integergreater than 1, and for example, C3 is 7 or 14. For example, one RBincludes 12 resource grids in frequency domain, and includes sevensymbols in time domain. FIG. 3 is a possible schematic structuraldiagram of system bandwidth. As shown in FIG. 3, the system bandwidthincludes a total of C2 RBs: an RB 0 to an RB C2-1. In frequency domain,the system bandwidth may also be described as C4 RBGs. One RBG includesC5 RBs. C4 and C5 are integers greater than 1. For the first type offrequency resource location information, any RB or RBG included in thebandwidth resource may be selected by using values of bits in thebitmap. Therefore, a flexible resource configuration may be provided,and the first type of frequency resource location information may applyto allocation of consecutive and inconsecutive resources.

A second type of frequency resource location information includes anindex of a reference RB and a quantity of consecutively allocated RBs.The reference RB may be any RB in the bandwidth resource. The quantityof consecutively allocated RBs is a width of the bandwidth resource. Forexample, the reference RB may be an RB with a highest frequency in thebandwidth resource, an RB with a lowest frequency in the bandwidthresource, or a center RB in the bandwidth resource. For the second typeof frequency resource location information, joint coding may beperformed on indication information of the index of the reference RB andindication information of the quantity of consecutively allocated RBs.Therefore, resource allocation may be performed by a relatively smallquantity of information bits, and signaling overheads for resourceallocation can be reduced.

A third type of frequency resource location information includes anindex of a reference RBG and a quantity of consecutively allocated RBGs.The reference RBG may be any RBG in the bandwidth resource. The quantityof consecutively allocated RBGs is a width of the bandwidth resource.For example, the reference RBG may be an RBG with a highest frequency inthe bandwidth resource, an RBG with a lowest frequency in the bandwidthresource, or a center RBG in the bandwidth resource. For the third typeof frequency resource location information, joint coding may beperformed on indication information of the index of the reference RBGand indication information of the quantity of consecutively allocatedRBGs. Therefore, resource allocation may be performed by a relativelysmall quantity of information bits, and signaling overheads for resourceallocation can be reduced.

A fourth type of frequency resource location information includes Scombinatorial indexes. S is an integer greater than or equal to 1. Onecombinatorial index indicates P groups of resource configurationinformation. Any one of the P groups of resource configurationinformation includes a start RB index and an end RB index, or includes astart RBG index and an end RBG index. P is an integer greater than orequal to 1. The index may also be referred to as an identifier. A groupof resource configuration information indicates a segment of consecutiveresources. If the group of resource configuration information includes astart RB index and an end RB index, and the start RB index is the sameas the end RB index, the group of resource configuration informationindicates one RB, and an index corresponding to the RB is the start RBindex or the end RB index. If the group of resource configurationinformation includes a start RBG index and an end RBG index, and thestart RBG index is the same as the end RBG index, the group of resourceconfiguration information indicates one RBG, and an index correspondingto the RBG is the start RBG index or the end RBG index. A sum ofresources indicated by each resource configuration information in Pgroups of resource configuration information indicated by acombinatorial index is a resource indicated by the combinatorial index.A sum of resources indicated by the S combinatorial indexes is aresource corresponding to the bandwidth resource. For the fourth type offrequency resource location information, joint coding may be performedon indication information of the start RB index and indicationinformation of the end RB index. Therefore, resource allocation may beperformed by a relatively small amount of information bits, andsignaling overheads can be reduced. The fourth type of frequencyresource location information may support configuration of consecutiveand inconsecutive resources, so that resource configuration can beflexibly performed.

The fifth type of frequency resource location information includes asubband indication used to indicate that the bandwidth resource is atleast one subband of system bandwidth. The system bandwidth includes atleast one subband. FIG. 4 is a possible schematic structural diagram ofa subband included in the system bandwidth. As shown in FIG. 4, thesystem bandwidth includes a total of three subbands: subband 0, subband1, and subband 2. One subband is a part of the system bandwidth. Itshould be noted that, the system bandwidth may include any quantity ofsubbands, and FIG. 4 shows only one possibility. Bandwidth of differentsubbands included in the system bandwidth may be the same or may bedifferent. This is not limited in the embodiments of this application.By the fifth type of resource configuration information, when abandwidth resource allocated to the UE has a fixed bandwidth size and isconsecutive resources, signaling overheads can be effectively reduced.

In the embodiments of this application, the frequency resource locationinformation is used to indicate a location of a resource in frequencydomain, and may also be referred to as a frequency resource locationconfiguration, frequency resource configuration information, or othernames. This is not limited in this application.

In the first bandwidth resource configuration method, the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource that is sent by the gNBto the UE may be at least one of the following first and second types ofinformation about the target operating bandwidth resource:

A first type of information about the target operating bandwidthresource is as follows.

In the first bandwidth resource configuration method, the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource that is sent by the gNBto the UE may indicate that the UE target operating bandwidthresource(s) is/are at least one bandwidth resource of a UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource(s), or may indicate that the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is at least one bandwidth resource in a setincluding the UE candidate operating bandwidth resource and the UEcalibration bandwidth resource. In this case, the first bandwidthresource configuration method further includes steps as follows. The gNBsends frequency resource location information of the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource to the UE, where the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is a subset of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource, and the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource is atleast one bandwidth resource of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource. The UE candidate operating bandwidth resource may include theUE calibration bandwidth resource. Alternatively, the gNB sendsfrequency resource location information of the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource to the UE, where the UE target operating bandwidthresource is a subset of the set including the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource and the UE calibration bandwidth resource, and theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource indicatesthat the UE target operating bandwidth resource is at least onebandwidth resource in the set including the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource and the UE calibration bandwidth resource. The UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource does not include the UEcalibration bandwidth resource, and the UE calibration bandwidthresource may be a frequency resource configured by signaling orpreconfigured. The UE receives the frequency resource locationinformation of the UE candidate operating bandwidth resource from thegNB.

In the embodiments of this application, the UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource may also be described as a UE selectable operatingbandwidth resource, a UE possible operating bandwidth resource, M1bandwidth resources that can be used as operating bandwidth resources ofthe UE, or other names. This is not limited in this application. M1 isan integer greater than or equal to 1. Further, as described above, theUE candidate operating bandwidth resource may further include the UEcalibration bandwidth resource. The UE source operating bandwidthresource may be at least one bandwidth resource of the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource. In an example of FIG. 5, systembandwidth is 400 MHz, bandwidth supported by the UE is 20 MHz, bandwidthof one bandwidth resource of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource is 20 MHz, and the UE calibration bandwidth resource is 20 MHz.A system resource includes 20 bandwidth resources, and the bandwidthresources do not overlap. One of the 20 bandwidth resources is the UEcalibration bandwidth resource, and the other 19 bandwidth resources arethe UE candidate operating bandwidth resource; or the 20 bandwidthresources are the UE candidate operating bandwidth resource, and one ofthe 20 bandwidth resources is the UE calibration bandwidth resource. TheUE source operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one of 19bandwidth resources, and the 19 bandwidth resources are 19 bandwidthresources obtained by subtracting the UE calibration bandwidth resourcefrom the 20 bandwidth resources included in the system resource. The UEtarget bandwidth resource is at least one bandwidth resource of the UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource. The bandwidth resources shown inFIG. 5 do not overlap, and the bandwidth resources are consecutiveresources. Alternatively, the bandwidth resources overlap, and thebandwidth resources may be consecutive or inconsecutive resources. Thisis not limited in this application.

When the gNB sends the frequency resource location information of the UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource to the UE, for a bandwidthresource of the candidate operating bandwidth resource, frequencyresource location information of the bandwidth resource may be any oneof the foregoing first type of frequency resource location informationto fifth type of frequency resource location information. Further, whenthe gNB sends the frequency resource location information of the UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource to the UE, frequency resourcelocation information of different bandwidth resources of the candidateoperating bandwidth resource may be sent in one signaling, or may besent in different signaling. This is not limited in this application.

When the gNB configures the UE calibration bandwidth resource for the UEin the signaling configuration manner, or in other words, when the gNBsends the frequency resource location information of the UE calibrationbandwidth resource to the UE, the signaling may be the same as or may bedifferent from a signaling used by the gNB to send the frequencyresource location information of the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource to the UE. This is not limited in this application. When thesignaling used by the gNB to configure the UE calibration bandwidthresource for the UE is the same as the signaling used by the gNB to sendthe frequency resource location information of the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource to the UE, the signaling may includeidentification information used to indicate which frequency resource isthe UE calibration bandwidth resource.

In the first type of information about the target operating bandwidthresource, to simplify description, it may also be described as that theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource indicatesthat the UE target operating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least oneof M2 bandwidth resources. When the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource indicates that the UE target operatingbandwidth resource is at least one bandwidth resource of the UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource, M2 is equal to a quantity ofbandwidth resources included in the UE candidate operating bandwidthresource, and the bandwidth resources included in the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource may also be described as the M2 bandwidthresources. When the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource indicates that the UE target operating bandwidth resource is atleast one bandwidth resource in the set including the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource and the UE calibration bandwidth resource,M2 is equal to a quantity of bandwidth resources included in the setincluding the UE candidate operating bandwidth resource and the UEcalibration bandwidth resource, and the set including the UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource and the UE calibration bandwidth resourcemay also be described as the M2 bandwidth resources. In the first typeof information about the target operating bandwidth resource, theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource may be anyone of the following first type of indication information to third typeof indication information, and is used to indicate that the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one of the M2 bandwidthresources. M2 is an integer greater than 1.

The first type of indication information includes K1=M2 informationbits. The K1 information bits are one-to-one corresponding to the M2bandwidth resources. When a value of an information bit is t1, it isconsidered that the UE target bandwidth resource includes a bandwidthresource corresponding to the information bit. When a value of aninformation bit is t2, it is considered that the UE target bandwidthresource does not include a bandwidth resource corresponding to theinformation bit. Both t1 and t2 are integers. For example, t1 is 1, andt2 is 0. By using the first type of indication information, values ofbits in a bitmap may be changed, to flexibly perform resourceconfiguration, and flexibly indicate that the UE target bandwidthresource(s) is/are at least one of the M2 bandwidth resources.

A second type of indication information includes K2 information bits.K2=┌log₂(K1)┐, where K1 is the same as K1 in the first type ofindication information. If a value of the K2 information bits is K2_X,it is considered that the UE target bandwidth resource is a (K2 X)^(th)bandwidth resource of the M2 bandwidth resources. When K2_X is countedfrom 0, K2_X is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than K1.When K2_X is counted from 1, K2_X is an integer greater than or equal to1 and less than or equal to K1. For example, if M2=8, K2=3, and whenK2_X value is 1, the UE target bandwidth resource is a first bandwidthresource of the M2 bandwidth resources. If the second type of indicationinformation is used, it can be flexibly indicated that the UE targetbandwidth resource is any one of the M2 bandwidth resources, andsignaling overheads of the indication information can be further reducedthrough binary coding.

The third type of indication information includes K3 information bits.K3 is an integer. A pre-configuration method is used to configure thatK3_X corresponds to at least one bandwidth resource. K3_X is a possiblevalue of the K3 information bits, and the at least one bandwidthresource is included in the M2 bandwidth resources. If a value of the K3information bits is K3_X, it is considered that the bandwidth resourcecorresponding to K3_X is the UE target bandwidth resource. For example,Table 1 shows a possible correspondence between K3_X and a bandwidthresource. In Table 1, M2=8 and K3=1 are used as an example. K3_X may be0 or 1. When K3_X is 0, bandwidth resource 0, bandwidth resource 1,bandwidth resource 2, and bandwidth resource 3 that correspond to K3_Xare considered as the UE target bandwidth resource. When K3_X is 1,bandwidth resource 4, bandwidth resource 5, bandwidth resource 6, andbandwidth resource 7 that correspond to K3_X are considered as the UEtarget bandwidth resource. In the embodiments of this application,considering a bandwidth resource as the UE target bandwidth resource mayalso be described as that the bandwidth resource may be used as the UEtarget bandwidth resource. Table 1 shows only one possible example.During actual application, the correspondence between K3_X and abandwidth resource may be any other relationship. This is not limited inthis application. By using the third type of indication information, itcan be flexibly indicated that the UE target bandwidth resource is anyone of the M2 bandwidth resources, and signaling overheads of theindication information can be further reduced through binary coding.

TABLE 1 Correspondence between K3_X and a bandwidth resource K3_XBandwidth resource (numbered from 0) 0 Bandwidth resource 0, bandwidthresource 1, bandwidth resource 2, and bandwidth resource 3 1 Bandwidthresource 4, bandwidth resource 5, bandwidth resource 6, and bandwidthresource 7

By using the first type of information about the target operatingbandwidth resource, the UE target operating bandwidth resource may beconfigured for the UE by using a relatively small quantity ofinformation bits, as well as indicating that the UE target operatingbandwidth resource(s) is/are at least one of a plurality of bandwidthresources.

Second type of information about the target operating bandwidthresource:

In the first bandwidth resource configuration method, the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource that is sent by the gNBto the UE includes frequency resource location information of the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource. For a bandwidth resource of the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource, frequency resource locationinformation of the bandwidth resource may be any one of the foregoingfirst type of frequency resource location information to fifth type offrequency resource location information. By using the second type ofinformation about the target operating bandwidth resource, a resource ofa system resource may be flexibly configured as the UE target operatingbandwidth resource. The following three advantages can be gained byflexibly configuring a resource for the UE for communication between thegNB and the UE.

First advantage: A resource with relatively good channel quality in thesystem resource is configured for the UE, thereby increasing a rate ofdata transmission between the gNB and the UE.

Second advantage: A parameter including a subcarrier spacing and a CPcan be flexibly configured for the UE, to meet a quality of service(QoS) requirement of a service of the UE. Quality of service includes alatency and/or a block error rate (BLER). In a wireless communicationssystem, for example, a 5G system, to support various types of serviceshaving different quality of service requirements, different parametersmay be used for data transmission of different types of services ofdifferent UEs or same UE.

Third advantage: A forward compatible communications system is provided.The network device flexibly configures an operating bandwidth resourcefor the UE, so that the network device can flexibly configure a blankresource in the system resource. Various possible communications systemsmay be introduced into the blank resource, so that the communicationssystem evolves flexibly in the system resource. Further, if a pluralityof communications systems need to be supported in the system resource,by flexibly configuring the blank resource, a resource in the blankresource may be configured for each of the plurality of communicationssystems based on load of each communications system, and an overall rateof data transmission of the plurality of communications systems may beincreased in the system resource.

A person skilled in the art may understand that, in the three technicalsolutions provided in the foregoing embodiments of this application andmethods related to the three technical solutions, all methods in which aresource can be flexibly configured may have the foregoing threeadvantages.

In the first bandwidth resource configuration method provided in theembodiment of this application, the UE may receive, in the calibrationbandwidth resource, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB for the UE, so that the UE can calibratea configuration of an operating bandwidth resource of the UE. Therefore,a probability that the gNB and the UE have inconsistent understandingsabout the operating bandwidth resource of the UE can be reduced, or whenthe gNB and the UE have inconsistent understandings about the operatingbandwidth resource of the UE, corresponding calibration can beperformed, so that the gNB and the UE can have consistent understandingsabout the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

A second method for bandwidth resource configuration provided in anembodiment of this application is described below in detail withreference to FIG. 6. The method corresponds to that a gNB periodicallysends information about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to UEin the first technical solution provided in the embodiments of thisapplication.

Step 601: A gNB communicates first UE specific information of UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource.

Step 602: The gNB sends information about a UE target operatingbandwidth resource to the UE in a UE calibration bandwidth resource ofthe UE in a first period. The UE target operating bandwidth resource isused by the gNB to communicate second UE specific information of the UEwith the UE. The UE source operating bandwidth resource is not totallythe same as the UE calibration bandwidth resource. The first periodincludes an integer quantity of first time units.

Step 602 may include step 202.

The gNB may periodically send the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource to the UE based on the first period. Thatthe first period includes an integer quantity of first time units mayalso be described as that, the first period includes N1 first timeunits, and N1 is an integer greater than 1. In a first period, the gNBmay send the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource to the UE in the UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE inN2 first time units in the first period. N2 is an integer less than orequal to N1.

The gNB and the UE may determine the first period based on apreconfiguration. Alternatively, the gNB may send signaling to the UE,and the signaling includes a configuration of the first period.Correspondingly, the UE receives the signaling from the gNB, and the UEdetermines the first period based on the received signaling. When thefirst period is preconfigured or configured by signaling, the firstperiod may be configured as an integer quantity of time units. Forexample, the time unit is the first time unit. Alternatively, the firstperiod may be configured as a specific time length. A unit of the timelength is a commonly used unit of time such as a second or amillisecond. In the embodiments of this application, the time unit mayalso be referred to as a unit of time, and includes a commonly used unitof time in the field of communications systems, such as a symbol, aslot, a mini-slot, a subframe, or a radio frame. When a communicationssystem supports a plurality of parameters, because time unitscorresponding to different parameters have different lengths, when thefirst period is configured as an integer quantity of first time units, aparameter corresponding to the first time unit may be furtherconfigured. The parameter includes at least one of a subcarrier spacingor a CP. For example, a subcarrier spacing corresponding to the firsttime unit may be configured to be the same as a subcarrier spacingcorresponding to an operating bandwidth resource of the UE, or may beconfigured as a reference subcarrier spacing, where the referencesubcarrier spacing is a subcarrier spacing preconfigured based on acarrier frequency domain; or may be configured for the UE by signalingfrom the gNB to the UE.

The gNB and the UE may determine the N2 first time units in the firstperiod based on a pre-configuration. Alternatively, the gNB may sendsignaling to the UE, and the signaling includes a configuration of theN2 first time units in the first period. Correspondingly, the UEreceives the signaling from the gNB, and the UE determines the N2 firsttime units in the first period based on the received signaling. The N2first time units in the first period may be correspondingly configuredby any one of the following first type of configuration information tothird type of configuration information.

The first type of configuration information includes an offset P1 and astep length P2. The first time unit of the N2 first time units in thefirst period is a (P1)^(th) first time unit in the first period, and adistance between two adjacent first time units of the N2 first timeunits in the first period is P2 first time units. P1 and P2 areintegers. By using the first type of configuration information, the N2first time units in the first period may be indicated with the offset P1and the step length by using a relatively small quantity of informationbits. The first type of configuration information is applicable to anequal-spacing configuration. A person skilled in the art may understandthat, when N2=1, the first type of configuration information mayalternatively not include the step length P2.

A second type of configuration information includes P3 information bits.P3 is equal to a quantity of first time units included in the firstperiod. In other words, P1 is equal to N1. The P3 information bits areone-to-one corresponding to the first time units included in the firstperiod. When a value of an information bit is t1, it is considered thata first time unit corresponding to the information bit is included inthe N2 first time units in the first period described in this step. Whena value of an information bit is t2, it is considered that a first timeunit corresponding to the information bit is not included in the N2first time units in the first period described in this step. Both t1 andt2 are integers. For example, t1 is 1, and t2 is 0. By using the secondtype of configuration information, values of information bits may bechanged, to flexibly configure that at least one first time unit in thefirst period may be used to transmit the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource. The second type of configurationinformation is applicable to consecutive and inconsecutive configurationin time domain.

The third type of configuration information includes a value N2. Any N2first time units in the first period are the N2 first time units in thefirst period described in this step. In a TDD system, the gNB mayperform uplink/downlink configuration based on a parameter such as atraffic volume. The uplink/downlink configuration is used to configurewhether a time unit is used for downlink (DL) transmission or uplink(UL) transmission. By using the third type of configuration information,the gNB may flexibly select a first time unit based on uplink/downlinkconfiguration, and send the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource to the UE in the selected first time unit.

Further, in a first period or in one or more of N2 first time units inthe first period, if the gNB does not need to reconfigure the operatingbandwidth resource for the UE, the gNB may not send the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE, to savesignaling overheads.

In the embodiments of this application, the gNB sends the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the firstperiod or in one or more of the N2 first time units in the first period.The information may be carried by a physical channel A. For example, thephysical channel A is a PDCCH. It may also be described as that the gNBsends the physical channel A to the UE in the first period or in one ormore of the N2 first time units in the first period, and the physicalchannel A carries the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource. In the embodiments of this application, that the gNBsends a physical channel to the UE may also be described as that the gNBsends, to the UE, information carried by the physical channel.

The UE receives, in the UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE inthe first period, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE. The UE target operatingbandwidth resource is used by the gNB to communicate the second UEspecific information of the UE with the UE. The UE source operatingbandwidth resource is not totally the same as the UE calibrationbandwidth resource. The first period includes the integer quantity offirst time units. The UE may use the following first receiving method toperiodically receive the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource; or by using the following second receiving method,the UE receives the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource based on determining whether the operating bandwidth resourceof the UE needs to be calibrated.

In the first receiving method, the UE periodically receives theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource. In a firstperiod, the UE receives, in the UE calibration bandwidth resource of theUE in N2 first time units in the first period, the information about theUE target operating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE. The N2first time units in the first period are described as above. Details arenot described herein again.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing that a UE receives, in a UEcalibration bandwidth resource, information about a UE target operatingbandwidth resource from a gNB. As shown in FIG. 7, a first period isconfigured, and one first time unit A in the first period is configured,to transmit the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource. In other words, N2=1. The gNB sends the information about theUE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource of the UE in the first time unit A in the firstperiod. In an example of FIG. 7, N2=1, but in practice, N2 may be anyinteger greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N1. Asshown in FIG. 7, in the 1^(st) first period, before the UE receives theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource, anoperating bandwidth resource of the UE is a bandwidth resource A. The UEreceives, in the UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE in a firsttime unit A in the 1^(st) first period, the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource from the gNB. The information mayindicate that the UE target operating bandwidth resource is thebandwidth resource A. The UE still uses the bandwidth resource A as theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE. It may also be described asthat, the UE does not update the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.In a second first period, before the UE receives the information aboutthe UE target operating bandwidth resource, an operating bandwidthresource of the UE is the bandwidth resource A. The UE receives, in theUE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE in a first time unit A inthe second first period, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB. The information may indicate that theUE target operating bandwidth resource is a bandwidth resource B. The UEuses the bandwidth resource B as the operating bandwidth resource of theUE. In other words, the UE updates the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE. It may also be described as that, the UE calibrates theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE.

In the second receiving method, the UE receives the information aboutthe UE target operating bandwidth resource based on determining whetherthe operating bandwidth resource of the UE needs to be calibrated. TheUE starts or restarts a first timer if the UE receives, in the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource, the first UE specific information of theUE from the gNB. That the UE restarts a first timer may be as follows.If the UE receives, in the UE source operating bandwidth resource, thefirst UE specific information of the UE from the gNB, and during runningof the first timer the UE restarts the first timer. After the firsttimer expires, the UE receives, in the UE calibration bandwidth resourceof the UE, the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource from the gNB. For example, if the first timer expires, the UEreceives, in the UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE in a firsttime unit after the timer expires, the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE. The first time unitmay be one or more first time units, and the first time unit is includedin one or more first periods, and is a first time unit of N2 first timeunits in the first period. In an implementation, if the first timerexpires, the UE switches from the source operating bandwidth resource tothe UE calibration bandwidth resource, and the UE receives, in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource of the UE, the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE. In thesecond receiving method, if the UE needs to switch from the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource to the UE calibration bandwidth resourceand/or needs to switch from the UE calibration bandwidth resource to theUE target operating bandwidth resource when receiving the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource, the method can reduceswitching of the UE between different bandwidth resources, therebyreducing an introduced switching time, saving a time domain airinterface resource for the UE, and increasing a rate of datatransmission. A possible scenario in which the UE needs to switch fromthe UE source operating bandwidth resource to the UE calibrationbandwidth resource when receiving the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is as follows: Bandwidth capability of theUE is not sufficient to simultaneously support the UE source operatingbandwidth resource and the UE calibration bandwidth resource. A possiblescenario in which the UE needs to switch from the UE calibrationbandwidth resource to the UE target operating bandwidth resource whenreceiving the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource is as follows: Bandwidth capability of the UE is not sufficientto simultaneously support the UE calibration bandwidth resource and theUE target operating bandwidth resource.

In the embodiments of this application, that bandwidth capability of theUE is not sufficient to simultaneously support X bandwidth resources maybe described as follows. Bandwidth capability of the UE is W, a setincluding frequencies at highest frequencies of the X bandwidthresources is H_(i), i=1, 2 . . . X, and a set including frequencies atlowest frequencies of the X bandwidth resources is L_(i), i=1, 2 . . .X, where W<(h−l), h=max(H_(i), i=1, 2 . . . X), and l=min(L_(i), i=1, 2. . . X).

In either method provided in the embodiments of this application, whenthe UE switches from bandwidth resource C to bandwidth resource D, aguard period may be configured for the UE to switch from bandwidthresource C to bandwidth resource D. The guard period is used by the UEto switch from one bandwidth resource to another bandwidth resource, andmay also be referred to as a switching time, a guard time, or othernames. This is not limited in this application. The “switch” may also bereferred to as “retune” or other names. This is not limited in thisapplication. The “retune” may be translated into retune in English. Theguard period may be configured as an integer quantity of time units, ormay be configured as a specific time length. A unit of the time lengthis a common unit of time such as second, millisecond, or microsecond. Inthe guard period of the UE, the gNB may not communicate with the UE.

For example, in the first period, before the UE receives, in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource of the UE, the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource from the gNB to the UE, the UE mayswitch from the UE source operating bandwidth resource to the UEcalibration bandwidth resource in a first guard period. For anotherexample, after the UE receives, in the UE calibration bandwidth resourceof the UE, the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource from the gNB to the UE, the UE may switch from the UEcalibration bandwidth resource to the UE target operating bandwidthresource in a second guard period. For example, as described above, FIG.7 is a schematic diagram showing that UE receives, in a UE calibrationbandwidth resource, information about a UE target operating bandwidthresource from a gNB. In FIG. 7, the UE switches from the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource to the UE calibration bandwidth resource ina first guard period before a first time unit A, and the UE switchesfrom the UE calibration bandwidth resource to the UE target operatingbandwidth resource in a second guard period after the first time unit A.The first guard period and the second guard period may be the same ormay be different. This is not limited in this application.

In the second bandwidth resource configuration method provided in theembodiment of this application, by using the first period, theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource may berelatively fixedly transmitted in time domain, so that the UE canpertinently receive the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource in time domain, thereby enhancing robustness ofreceiving the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource by the UE, and further saving power of the UE.

A third method for bandwidth resource configuration provided in anembodiment of this application is described below in detail withreference to FIG. 8. The method corresponds to that a gNB sendsinformation about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to UE basedon a request of the UE in the first technical solution provided in theembodiments of this application.

Step 801: A gNB communicates first UE specific information of UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource.

Step 802: The UE sends a first request to the gNB. The first request isused to request the gNB to send information about a UE target operatingbandwidth resource to the UE.

The gNB receives the first request from the UE.

Optionally, the first request may be a scheduling request (SR). If thefirst request is the SR, the first request may be carried by an uplinkcontrol channel or an uplink data channel. The SR is signaling from theUE to the gNB to request the gNB to perform uplink scheduling for theUE, so that the UE can send data to the gNB based on uplink schedulinginformation. The SR is reused as the first request, so that signalingtypes in a system can be reduced, and a system design can be simplified.

Before the UE sends the first request to the gNB, the UE may furtherdetermine whether the UE needs to calibrate an operating bandwidthresource. If the UE needs to calibrate the operating bandwidth resource,the UE sends the first request to the gNB, to further reduce signalingoverheads. Specifically, a timer is started if the UE receives, in theUE source operating bandwidth resource, the first UE specificinformation from the gNB. During running of the timer, if the UEreceives, in the UE source operating bandwidth resource, the first UEspecific information from the gNB, the timer is restarted. After thetimer expires, the UE sends the first request to the gNB. By using thetimer, when the UE does not communicate with the gNB within a period oftime, the UE may consider whether the state of no communication causedby inconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE between the gNB and the UE, and may consider calibrating theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE.

Step 803: In a UE calibration bandwidth resource of the UE, the gNBsends the information about the UE target operating bandwidth resourceto the UE, and the UE receives the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the gNB. The UE target operatingbandwidth resource is used to communicate second UE specific informationof the UE with the UE. The UE source operating bandwidth resource is nottotally the same as the UE calibration bandwidth resource.

Step 803 may include step 202.

A timing relationship between transmission of the first request andtransmission of the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource in the UE calibration bandwidth resource may be as follows. Thefirst request is transmitted in a time unit n, and the information aboutthe UE target operating bandwidth resource is transmitted in a time unitn+k. The information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource istransmitted after the first request is transmitted, n is an integer, andk is an integer greater than or equal to 0. For example, the gNBreceives the first request in the time unit n, and sends the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the timeunit n+k. The UE sends the first request in the time unit n, andreceives, in the time unit n+k, the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the gNB. When a time unit for thetransmission of the first request and a time unit for the transmissionof the information about the UE target operating bandwidth resourcecorrespond to different subcarrier spacings and/or CP types, indexes ofthe time units corresponding to the first request and the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource may be adjusted. Thisis not limited in this application. For example, if the time unit forthe transmission of the first request corresponds to a subcarrierspacing of 60 kHz, an index corresponding to the time unit may be n; orif the time unit for the transmission of the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource corresponds to a subcarrier spacingof 15 kHz, an index corresponding to the time unit may be n/4, where4=60/15. A cause of such a phenomenon may be as follows. The time unitfor the transmission of the first request is a slot, and the slotincludes seven symbols; and the time unit for the transmission of theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource is a slot,and the slot includes seven symbols. A symbol length corresponding to 60kHz is ¼ of a symbol length corresponding to 15 kHz, and a slot lengthcorresponding to 60 kHz is ¼ of a slot length corresponding to 15 kHz.Therefore, in a same time, an index of a slot of 60 kHz may be fourtimes of an index of a slot of 15 kHz. The index of the slot does notexceed a value range of the index of the slot.

The gNB and the UE may determine a value of k based on a systempre-configuration. The value of k may be preconfigured as a constant, ormay be preconfigured as any one or more values of n+k1 to n+k1+L. L andk1 are integers. For example, k1 and L are preconfigured constants.

Alternatively, the gNB may send signaling to the UE, to indicate thevalue of k by the signaling. The UE receives signaling from the gNB, anddetermines the value of k based on a signaling configuration.

In the third bandwidth resource configuration method provided in theembodiment of this application, if the UE needs to switch from the UEsource operating bandwidth resource to the UE calibration bandwidthresource and/or needs to switch from the UE calibration bandwidthresource to the UE target operating bandwidth resource when receivingthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource, themethod can reduce switching of the UE between different bandwidthresources, thereby reducing introducing a switching time, saving a timedomain air interface resource for the UE, and increasing a rate of datatransmission.

Further, in the first bandwidth resource configuration method to thethird bandwidth resource configuration method that are provided in theembodiments of this application, the gNB may also send the informationabout the UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UEsource operating bandwidth resource. Correspondingly, the UE may alsoreceive, in the UE source operating bandwidth resource of the UE, theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource from thegNB. In the method, frequency of sending the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource in the UE source operating bandwidthresource may be configured to be higher than frequency of sending theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource in the UEcalibration bandwidth resource. For example, a period for sending theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource in the UEsource operating bandwidth resource may be configured to be shorter thana period for sending the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource in the UE calibration bandwidth resource. For anotherexample, a period for sending the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource in the UE source operating bandwidthresource of the UE is configured to be the same as a period for sendingthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource in theUE calibration bandwidth resource, and in the period, time units thatcan be used to transmit the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource in the UE source operating bandwidth resource aremore than time units that can be used to transmit the information aboutthe UE target operating bandwidth resource in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource. For another example, when determining that the UEneeds to perform calibration, the UE may receive, in the UE calibrationbandwidth resource, the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB. These methods can make the UE switch tothe UE calibration bandwidth resource at an interval of a relativelylong period of time or only when determining that calibration needs tobe performed, to receive the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource, and configure the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE. The methods can further reduce switching of the UE betweendifferent bandwidth resources, thereby reducing introducing a switchingtime, saving a time domain air interface resource for the UE, andincreasing a rate of data transmission.

A fourth method for bandwidth resource configuration provided in anembodiment of this application is described below in detail withreference to FIG. 9. The method corresponds to a corresponding design ona gNB side in the second technical solution provided in the embodimentsof this application. FIG. 9 is a corresponding schematic flowchart forimplementing the fourth bandwidth resource configuration method on thegNB side.

Step 901: A gNB communicates first UE specific information of UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource.

Step 902: In the UE source operating bandwidth resource, the gNB sendsinformation about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE,and the UE receives the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB. The UE target operating bandwidthresource is used for transmission of second UE specific information ofthe UE with the UE.

In step 902, descriptions of content of the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource, a transmission method for theinformation about the UE target operating bandwidth resource, and othercontent related to the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource are similar to those in step 202. Details are notdescribed herein again. A main difference between step 902 and step 202is as follows. In step 202, the UE calibration bandwidth resource isintroduced, and the gNB sends the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE calibration bandwidthresource. In step 902, the gNB sends the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE source operatingbandwidth resource.

Step 903: The gNB starts a second timer.

Step 904: During running of the second timer, if the gNB receives afeedback from the UE, the gNB stops the second timer. The feedback is afeedback in response to a channel carrying the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource.

The feedback may be one-bit information.

A value of the feedback may include an acknowledgment feedback, or mayinclude an acknowledgment feedback and a negative acknowledgmentfeedback.

When the value of the feedback includes the acknowledgment feedback anddoes not include the negative acknowledgment feedback: If the gNBreceives the feedback, the gNB considers that the UE may have correctlyreceived the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource, and considers that the UE may use the UE target operatingbandwidth resource as an operating bandwidth resource of the UE.Therefore, the gNB may consider the UE target operating bandwidthresource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE. If the gNBreceives no feedback, the gNB considers that the UE may fail to receiveor fail to correctly receive the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource, considers that the UE may not use the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resourceof the UE, and considers that the UE may use the UE source operatingbandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.Therefore, the gNB may consider the UE source operating bandwidthresource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE. In the method,the acknowledgment feedback may also be referred to as a “feedback” forshort.

When the value of the feedback includes the acknowledgment feedback andthe negative acknowledgment feedback: If the gNB receives theacknowledgment feedback, the gNB considers that the UE may havecorrectly received the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource, and considers that the UE may use the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource as an operating bandwidth resource of theUE. Therefore, the gNB may consider the UE target operating bandwidthresource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE. If the gNBreceives no acknowledgment feedback or receives the negativeacknowledgment feedback, the gNB considers that the UE may fail toreceive or fail to correctly receive the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource, considers that the UE may not use the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resourceof the UE, and considers that the UE may use the UE source operatingbandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.Therefore, the gNB may consider the UE source operating bandwidthresource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

Step 905: After the second timer expires, the gNB considers the UEsource operating bandwidth resource as an operating bandwidth resourceof the UE.

In the fourth bandwidth resource configuration method provided in theembodiment of this application, by a fallback mechanism of the gNB, itcan be ensured that the UE and the gNB have consistent understandingsabout the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

A fifth method for bandwidth resource configuration provided in anembodiment of this application is described below in detail withreference to FIG. 10. The method corresponds to a first design on a UEside in the second technical solution provided in the embodiments ofthis application. FIG. 10 is a corresponding schematic flowchart forimplementing the fifth bandwidth resource configuration method on the UEside.

Step 1001: A gNB communicates first UE specific information of UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource.

Step 1002: In the UE source operating bandwidth resource, the gNB sendsinformation about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE,and the UE receives the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB. The UE target operating bandwidthresource is used for transmission of second UE specific information ofthe UE with the UE.

Step 1002 is the same as step 902.

Step 1003: The UE sends a feedback to the gNB. The feedback is afeedback in response to a channel carrying the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource.

The feedback in step 1003 may be the same as the feedback in step 904.

Step 1004: The UE starts a third timer.

Step 1005: Stop the third timer if second UE specific information fromthe gNB is received in the UE target operating bandwidth resource.

Step 1006: After the third timer expires, consider the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource as an operating bandwidth resource of theUE.

In the fifth bandwidth resource configuration method provided in theembodiment of this application, if the UE receives no second UE specificinformation till the third timer expires, the UE considers that the gNBmay fail to receive or fail to correctly receive the feedback, and theUE considers that the gNB may use the UE source bandwidth resource asthe operating bandwidth resource of the UE. Therefore, the UE mayconsider the UE source bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidthresource of the UE, so that the gNB and the UE can have consistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

A sixth method for bandwidth resource configuration provided in anembodiment of this application is described below in detail withreference to FIG. 11. The method corresponds to a second correspondingdesign on a UE side in the second technical solution provided in theembodiments of this application. FIG. 11 is a corresponding schematicflowchart for implementing the sixth bandwidth resource configurationmethod on the UE side.

Step 1101: A gNB communicates first UE specific information of UE withthe UE in a UE source operating bandwidth resource.

Step 1102: In the UE source operating bandwidth resource, the gNB sendsinformation about a UE target operating bandwidth resource to the UE,and the UE receives the information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource from the gNB. The UE target operating bandwidthresource is used for transmission of second UE specific information ofthe UE with the UE.

Step 1102 is the same as step 1002.

Step 1103: The UE sends a feedback to the gNB. The feedback is afeedback in response to a channel carrying the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource.

Step 1103 is the same as step 1003.

Step 1104: The UE sends a second request to the gNB.

The gNB may receive the second request.

Step 1105: If the UE receives, in the UE target operating bandwidthresource, no first response from the gNB, the UE considers the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource as an operating bandwidth resource of theUE. The first response is in response to the second request.

The first response may be one-bit information, or may be UE specificinformation or other information. This is not limited in thisapplication.

A timing relationship between transmission of the second request andtransmission of the first response is similar to the timing relationshipbetween the transmission of the first request and the transmission ofthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource in theUE calibration bandwidth resource in step 803. Details are not describedherein again. The transmission of the second request corresponds to thetransmission of the first request, and the transmission of the firstresponse corresponds to the transmission of the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource in the UE calibration bandwidthresource.

In the sixth bandwidth resource configuration method provided in theembodiment of this application, if the UE receives no first response,the UE considers that the gNB may fail to receive or fail to correctlyreceive the feedback, and the UE considers that the gNB may use the UEsource bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.Therefore, the UE may consider the UE source bandwidth resource as theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, so that the gNB and the UE canhave consistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE.

A first method for accessing provided in an embodiment of thisapplication is described below in detail with reference to FIG. 12. Themethod corresponds to the third technical solution provided in theembodiments of this application. FIG. 12 is a corresponding schematicflowchart for implementing the first access method on a UE side.

Step 1201: Start or restart a fourth timer if UE receives, in anoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, third UE specific informationfrom a gNB.

The UE may start or restart the fourth timer if the UE receives, in theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, the third UE specificinformation from the gNB. Further, the fourth timer may be started orrestarted after the operating bandwidth resource of the UE isreconfigured. Specifically, the UE communicates first UE specificinformation of the UE with the network device in a UE source operatingbandwidth resource. The network device sends information about a UEtarget operating bandwidth resource to the UE in the UE source operatingbandwidth resource. Correspondingly, the UE receives, in the UE sourceoperating bandwidth resource, the information about the UE targetoperating bandwidth resource from the network device, and considers theUE target operating bandwidth resource as the operating bandwidthresource of the UE, and the UE starts the fourth timer. The UE targetoperating bandwidth resource is used by the UE to communicate the thirdUE specific information of the UE with the network device. After the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource is used as the operating bandwidthresource of the UE, if the UE receives, in the operating bandwidthresource of the UE, the third UE specific information from the gNB, theUE starts or restarts the fourth timer.

Step 1202: The UE accesses the gNB if the fourth timer expires.

After the access to the gNB, the gNB may send information to the UE, andthe UE may receive the information from the gNB to the UE. Theinformation indicates a bandwidth resource used by the gNB tocommunicate UE specific information with the UE. For example, theinformation is the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource that is described in the foregoing methods.

In the first access method, based on the timer, if the fourth timerexpires in the operating bandwidth resource of the UE, the UE considersthat the UE and the gNB may have inconsistent understandings about theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE, and the UE accesses the gNB.After the access, the UE and the gNB can have consistent understandingsabout the operating bandwidth resource of the UE.

A second method for accessing provided in an embodiment of thisapplication is described below in detail with reference to FIG. 13. Themethod corresponds to the third technical solution provided in theembodiments of this application. FIG. 13 is a corresponding schematicflowchart for implementing the second access method on a UE side.

Step 1301: UE sends a third request to a gNB.

Step 1302: The UE accesses the gNB if the UE receives, in an operatingbandwidth resource of the UE, no second response from the gNB. Thesecond response is in response to the third request.

The second response may be one-bit information, or may be UE specificinformation or other information. This is not limited in thisapplication.

A timing relationship between transmission of the third request andtransmission of the second response is similar to the timingrelationship between the transmission of the first request and thetransmission of the information about the UE target operating bandwidthresource in the UE calibration bandwidth resource in step 803. Detailsare not described herein again. The transmission of the third requestcorresponds to the transmission of the first request, and thetransmission of the second response corresponds to the transmission ofthe information about the UE target operating bandwidth resource in thecalibration bandwidth resource.

In the second access method, according to a request feedback mechanism,if no second response is received in the operating bandwidth resource ofthe UE, the UE considers that the UE and the gNB may have inconsistentunderstandings about the operating bandwidth resource of the UE, and theUE accesses the gNB. After the access, the UE and the gNB can haveconsistent understandings about the operating bandwidth resource of theUE.

In the first and second methods for accessing provided in the foregoingembodiments of this application, after the UE accesses the gNB, abandwidth resource used by the UE to access the gNB may be configured asthe operating bandwidth resource of the UE. Further, after the UEaccesses the gNB, the gNB may send information to the UE in thebandwidth resource used by the UE to access the gNB, to configure theoperating bandwidth resource of the UE for the UE. The information maybe the foregoing described information about the UE target operatingbandwidth resource.

In the first and second methods for accessing provided in theembodiments of this application, a method for accessing in which the UEaccesses the gNB may be a method commonly used by a person skilled inthe art. For example, the access method may be a random access method ina 5G system or an LTE system. The access method may includecontention-based access and non-contention based access. The gNB and theUE may determine, in a preconfiguration manner, frequency resourcelocation information of the bandwidth resource used by the UE to accessthe gNB. Alternatively, the gNB may configure, for the UE by signaling,frequency resource information of the bandwidth resource used by the UEto access the gNB. The UE determines, based on the received signalingfrom the gNB, the bandwidth resource that is configured by the gNB forthe UE and that is used by the UE to access the gNB. The resourcelocation information of the bandwidth resource used by the UE to accessthe gNB may be any one of the first type of frequency resource locationinformation to the fifth type of frequency resource location informationin step 201.

In the foregoing embodiments provided in this application, the methodsprovided in the embodiments of this application are separately describedfrom perspectives of a gNB, UE, and interaction between the gNB and theUE. To implement functions described in the foregoing methods, the gNBand the UE may each include a hardware structure and/or a softwaremodule, to implement the functions in a form of the hardware structure,the software module, or the hardware structure and the software module.Whether one of the functions is implemented by the hardware structure,the software module, or the hardware structure and the software moduledepends on a particular application and design constraint condition of atechnical solution.

FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus 1400 accordingto an embodiment of this application. The apparatus 1400 may be a gNB,or may be an apparatus applied to a gNB. When applied to the gNB, theapparatus can support the gNB in performing gNB functions described inthe foregoing methods. The apparatus 1400 may be performed by a chipsystem. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system mayinclude a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete device(s).

As shown in FIG. 14, the apparatus 1400 includes a sendingmodule/receiving module 14001. In the embodiments of this application,the sending module/receiving module may also be referred to as atransceiver module.

When the apparatus 1400 is configured to implement or configured tosupport the gNB in performing the foregoing methods, the sendingmodule/receiving module 14001 may be configured to send informationabout a UE target operating bandwidth resource, may be configured tosend and/or receive first UE specific information, may be configured tosend and/or receive second UE specific information, may be configured tosend frequency resource location information of a UE candidate operatingbandwidth resource, may be configured to send a configuration of a firstperiod and a configuration of N2 first time units in the first period,may be configured to receive a first request, may be configured toreceive a feedback, may be configured to receive a second request, maybe configured to send a first response, may be configured to receive athird request, may be configured to send a second response, may beconfigured to send a downlink channel during access, and may beconfigured to receive an uplink channel during access. Correspondencesbetween various possible information sent and/or received by the sendingmodule/receiving module 14001 and the foregoing methods are detailed inthe foregoing methods, and details are not described herein again.

The apparatus 1400 may further include a determining module 14002. Thedetermining module 14002 may be coupled to other module(s) included inthe apparatus 1400. For example, the other module(s) includes at leastone of the sending module/receiving module 14001 or a timing module14003. The coupling in the embodiments of this application is indirectcoupling or connection between apparatuses, units, or modules forinformation exchange between the apparatuses, the units, or the modules,and may be in electrical, mechanical, or other forms. When the apparatus1400 is configured to implement or configured to support the gNB inimplementing the foregoing methods, the determining module 14002 may beconfigured to determine at least one of the information about the UEtarget operating bandwidth resource, the first UE specific information,the second UE specific information, the frequency resource locationinformation of the UE candidate operating bandwidth resource, theconfiguration of the first period and the configuration of the N2 firsttime units in the first period, the first response, the second response,or information carried by the downlink channel during access that aresent by the sending module/receiving module 14001. Correspondencesbetween various possible information determined by the determiningmodule 14002 and the foregoing methods are detailed in the foregoingmethods, and details are not described herein again.

When the apparatus 1400 is configured to implement or configured tosupport the gNB in performing the fourth bandwidth resourceconfiguration method, the apparatus 1400 may further include the timingmodule 14003, configured to perform a function of a second timer. Thetiming module 14003 may be coupled to other module(s) included in theapparatus 1400. For example, the other module(s) includes at least oneof the sending module/receiving module 14001 or the determining module14002.

FIG. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus 1500 accordingto an embodiment of this application. The apparatus 1500 may be UE, ormay be an apparatus applied to UE. When applied to the UE, the apparatuscan support the UE in performing the functions of the UE that aredescribed in the foregoing methods. The apparatus 1500 may beimplemented by a chip system.

As shown in FIG. 15, the apparatus 1500 includes a sendingmodule/receiving module 15001.

When the apparatus 1500 is configured to perform or configured tosupport the UE in performing the foregoing methods, the sendingmodule/receiving module 15001 may be configured to receive informationabout a UE target operating bandwidth resource, may be configured tosend and/or receive first UE specific information, may be configured tosend and/or receive second UE specific information, may be configured toreceive frequency resource location information of a UE candidateoperating bandwidth resource, may be configured to receive aconfiguration of a first period and a configuration of N2 first timeunits in the first period, may be configured to send a first request,may be configured to send a feedback, may be configured to send a secondrequest, may be configured to receive a first response, may beconfigured to send a third request, may be configured to receive asecond response, may be configured to send an uplink channel duringaccess, and may be configured to receive a downlink channel duringaccess. Correspondences between various possible information sent and/orreceived by the sending module/receiving module 15001 and the foregoingmethods are detailed in the foregoing methods, and details are notdescribed herein again.

The apparatus 1500 may further include a determining module 15002. Thedetermining module 15002 may be coupled to other module(s) included inthe apparatus 1500. For example, the other module(s) includes at leastone of the sending module/receiving module 15001 or a timing module15003. When the apparatus 1500 is configured to implement or configuredto support the UE in implementing the foregoing methods, the determiningmodule 15002 may be configured to determine at least one of the first UEspecific information, the second UE specific information, the firstrequest, the feedback, the second request, the third request, orinformation carried by the uplink channel during access that are sent bythe sending module/receiving module 15001. Correspondences betweenvarious possible information determined by the determining module 15002and the foregoing methods are detailed in the foregoing methods, anddetails are not described herein again.

The apparatus 1500 may further include the timing module 15003. When theapparatus 1500 is configured to perform or configured to support the UEin performing the second bandwidth resource configuration method in FIG.6, the timing module 15003 may be configured to perform a function of afirst timer. When the apparatus 1500 is configured to perform orconfigured to support the UE in performing the third bandwidth resourceconfiguration method in FIG. 8, the timing module 15003 may beconfigured to perform a function of a third timer. When the apparatus1500 is configured to perform or configured to support the UE inperforming the first access method in FIG. 12, the timing module 15003may be configured to perform a function of a fourth timer. The timingmodule 15003 may be coupled to other module(s) included in the apparatus1500. For example, the other module(s) includes at least one of thesending module/receiving module 15001 or the determining module 15002.

FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus 1600 accordingto an embodiment of this application. The apparatus 1600 may be a gNB,or may be an apparatus applied to a gNB. When applied to the gNB, theapparatus can support the gNB in performing gNB functions described inthe foregoing methods.

As shown in FIG. 16, the apparatus 1600 includes a processing system1610, configured to perform or configured to support the gNB inperforming the gNB functions described in the foregoing methods. Theprocessing system 1610 may be a circuit, and the circuit may beimplemented by a chip system. The processing system 1610 includes atleast one processor 1613. The processor 1613 may be configured toperform or configured to support the gNB in performing the gNB functionsdescribed in the foregoing methods. When the processing system 1610includes other apparatus, the processor 1613 may be further configuredto manage the other apparatus included in the processing system 1610.For example, the other apparatus may be at least one of a memory 1615, atiming system 1611, a bus 1612, or a bus interface 1614 described below.In the embodiments of this application, the processor may be a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a general purpose processor, a network processor(NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, amicrocontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combinationthereof.

The processing system 1610 may further include the memory 1615,configured to store a program instruction, or a program instruction anddata. In the embodiments of this application, the memory includes avolatile memory, for example, a random-access memory (RAM); or thememory may include a non-volatile memory, for example, a flash memory, ahard disk drive (HDD), or a solid-state drive (SSD); or the memory mayinclude a combination of the foregoing types of memories.

The processor 1613 may cooperate with the memory 1615. The processor1613 may execute the program instruction stored in the memory 1615. Whenthe processor 1613 executes the program instruction stored in the memory1615, the processor 1613 may perform or support the gNB in performing atleast one of the gNB functions in the foregoing methods. The processor1613 may further read the data stored in the memory 1615. The memory1615 may further store data obtained when the processor 1613 executesthe program instruction.

The processor 1613 may include an information generation and sendingcircuit 16131. When the apparatus 1600 is configured to perform orconfigured to support the gNB in performing the foregoing methods, theinformation generation and sending circuit 16131 may be configured togenerate and send first UE specific information, may be configured togenerate and send second UE specific information, may be configured togenerate and send frequency resource location information of a UEcandidate operating bandwidth resource, may be configured to generateand send a configuration of a first period and a configuration of N2first time units in the first period, may be configured to generate andsend a first response, may be configured to generate and send a secondresponse, and may be configured to generate and send information carriedby a downlink channel during access. Correspondences between variouspossible information generated and sent by the information generationand sending circuit 16131 and the foregoing methods are detailed in theforegoing methods, and details are not described herein again. Thememory 1615 may further include an information generation and sendingmodule 16151. When performing the foregoing generation and sendingfunctions, the information generation and sending circuit 16131 maycooperate with the information generation and sending module 16151.

The processor 1613 may further include an information receiving andprocessing circuit 16132. When the apparatus 1600 is configured toperform or configured to support the gNB in performing the foregoingmethods, the information receiving and processing circuit 16132 may beconfigured to receive and process first UE specific information, may beconfigured to receive and process second UE specific information, may beconfigured to receive and process a first request, may be configured toreceive and process a feedback, may be configured to receive and processa second request, may be configured to receive and process a thirdrequest, and may be configured to receive and process informationcarried by an uplink channel during access. Correspondences betweenvarious possible information received and processed by the informationreceiving and processing circuit 16132 and the foregoing methods aredetailed in the foregoing methods, and details are not described hereinagain. The memory 1615 may further include an information receiving andprocessing module 16152. When performing the foregoing receiving andprocessing functions, the information receiving and processing circuit16132 may cooperate with the information receiving and processing module16152.

The processing system 1610 may further include the timing system 1611.When the apparatus 1600 is configured to perform or configured tosupport the gNB in performing the fourth bandwidth resourceconfiguration method, the timing system 1611 may be configured toperform a function of a second timer.

The processing system 1610 may further include the bus interface 1614,configured to provide an interface between the bus 1612 and otherapparatus.

The apparatus 1600 may further include a transceiver 1630, configured tocommunicate with other communication device by a transmission medium, sothat other apparatus in the apparatus 1600 can communicate with theother communication device. The other apparatus may be the processingsystem 1610. For example, the other apparatus in the apparatus 1600 maycommunicate with the other communications device by using thetransceiver 1630, to receive and/or send corresponding information. Itmay also be described as that, the other apparatus in the apparatus 1600may receive corresponding information, and the corresponding informationis received by the transceiver 1630 by the transmission medium, and thecorresponding information may be exchanged between the transceiver 1630and the other apparatus in the apparatus 1600 by using the bus interface1614 or by using the bus interface 1614 and the bus 1612; and/or theother apparatus in the apparatus 1600 may send correspondinginformation, where the corresponding information is sent by thetransceiver 1630 by the transmission medium, and the correspondinginformation may be exchanged between the transceiver 1630 and the otherapparatus in the apparatus 1600 by using the bus interface 1614 or byusing the bus interface 1614 and the bus 1612.

The apparatus 1600 may further include a user interface 1620. The userinterface 1620 is an interface between a user and the apparatus 1600,and may be configured for information exchange between the user and theapparatus 1600. For example, the user interface 1620 may be at least oneof a keyboard, a mouse, a display, a speaker (speaker), a microphone, ora joystick.

An apparatus structure provided in an embodiment of this application ismainly described above from a perspective of the apparatus 1600. In theapparatus, the processing system 1610 includes the processor 1613, andmay further include at least one of the memory 1615, the timing system1611, the bus 1612, or the bus interface 1614, to implement the gNBfunctions described in the foregoing methods. The processing system 1610also falls within the protection scope of this application.

FIG. 17 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus 1700 accordingto an embodiment of this application. The apparatus 1700 may be UE, ormay be an apparatus applied to UE. When applied to the UE, the apparatuscan support the UE in performing the functions of the UE that aredescribed in the foregoing methods.

As shown in FIG. 17, the apparatus 1700 includes a processing system1710, configured to perform or configured to support the UE inperforming the functions of the UE that are described in the foregoingmethods. The processing system 1710 may be a circuit, and the circuitmay be implemented by a chip system. The processing system 1710 mayinclude at least one processor 1713. The processor 1713 may beconfigured to perform or configured to support the UE in performing thefunctions of the UE that are described in the foregoing methods. Whenthe processing system 1710 includes other apparatus, the processor 1713may be further configured to manage the other apparatus included in theprocessing system 1710. For example, the other apparatus may be at leastone of a memory 1715, a timing system 1711, a bus 1712, or a businterface 1714 described below.

The processing system 1710 may further include the memory 1715,configured to store a program instruction, or a program instruction anddata.

The processor 1713 may cooperate with the memory 1715. The processor1713 may execute the program instruction stored in the memory 1715. Whenthe processor 1713 executes the program instruction stored in the memory1715, the processor 1713 may perform or support the UE in performing atleast one of the functions of the UE in the foregoing methods. Theprocessor 1713 may further read the data stored in the memory 1715. Thememory 1715 may further store data obtained when the processor 1713executes the program instruction.

The processor 1713 may include an information generation and sendingcircuit 17131. When the apparatus 1700 is configured to perform orconfigured to support the UE in performing the foregoing methods, theinformation generation and sending circuit 17131 may be configured togenerate and send first UE specific information, may be configured togenerate and send second UE specific information, may be configured togenerate and send a first request, may be configured to generate andsend a feedback, may be configured to generate and send a secondrequest, may be configured to generate and send a third request, and maybe configured to generate and send information carried by an uplinkchannel during access. Correspondences between various possibleinformation generated and sent by the information generation and sendingcircuit 17131 and the foregoing methods are detailed in the foregoingmethods, and details are not described herein again. The memory 1715 mayfurther include an information generation and sending module 17151. Whenperforming the foregoing generation and sending functions, theinformation generation and sending circuit 17131 may cooperate with theinformation generation and sending module 17151.

The processor 1713 may further include an information receiving andprocessing circuit 17132. When the apparatus 1700 is configured toperform or configured to support the UE in performing the foregoingmethods, the information receiving and processing circuit 17132 may beconfigured to receive and process first UE specific information, may beconfigured to receive and process second UE specific information, may beconfigured to receive and process a first response, may be configured toreceive and process a second response, and may be configured to receiveand process information carried by a downlink channel during access.Correspondences between various possible information received andprocessed by the information receiving and processing circuit 17132 andthe foregoing methods are detailed in the foregoing methods, and detailsare not described herein again. The memory 1715 may further include aninformation receiving and processing module 17152. When performing theforegoing receiving and processing functions, the information receivingand processing circuit 17132 may cooperate with the informationreceiving and processing module 17152.

The processing system 1710 may further include the timing system 1711.When the apparatus 1700 is configured to perform or configured tosupport the UE in performing the second bandwidth resource configurationmethod in FIG. 6, the timing system 1711 may be configured to perform afunction of a first timer. When the apparatus 1700 is configured toperform or configured to support the UE in performing the thirdbandwidth resource configuration method in FIG. 8, the timing system1711 may be configured to perform a function of a third timer. When theapparatus 1700 is configured to perform or configured to support the UEin performing the first access method in FIG. 12, the timing system 1711may be configured to perform a function of a fourth timer.

The processing system 1710 may further include the bus interface 1714,configured to provide an interface between the bus 1712 and otherapparatus.

The apparatus 1700 may further include a transceiver 1730, configured tocommunicate with other communication device by a transmission medium, sothat other apparatus in the apparatus 1700 can communicate with theother communication device. The other apparatus may be the processingsystem 1710. For example, the other apparatus in the apparatus 1700 maycommunicate with the other communications device by using thetransceiver 1730, to receive and/or send corresponding information. Itmay also be described as that, the other apparatus in the apparatus 1700may receive corresponding information, and the corresponding informationis received by the transceiver 1730 by the transmission medium, and thecorresponding information may be exchanged between the transceiver 1730and the other apparatus in the apparatus 1700 by the bus interface 1714or by using the bus interface 1714 and the bus 1712; and/or the otherapparatus in the apparatus 1700 may send corresponding information,where the corresponding information is sent by the transceiver 1730 bythe transmission medium, and the corresponding information may beexchanged between the transceiver 1730 and the other apparatus in theapparatus 1700 by using the bus interface 1714 or by using the businterface 1714 and the bus 1712. In the embodiments of this application,the transceiver may be referred to as a transmitter/receiver.

The apparatus 1700 may further include a user interface 1720. The userinterface 1720 is an interface between a user and the apparatus 1700,and may be configured for information exchange between the user and theapparatus 1700. For example, the user interface 1720 may be at least oneof a keyboard, a mouse, a display, a speaker (speaker), a microphone, ora joystick.

An apparatus structure provided in an embodiment of this application ismainly described above from a perspective of the apparatus 1700. In theapparatus, the processing system 1710 includes the processor 1713, andmay further include at least one of the memory 1715, the timing system1711, the bus 1712, or the bus interface 1714, to perform the functionsof the UE that are described in the foregoing methods. The processingsystem 1710 also falls within the protection scope of this application.

In the apparatus embodiments of this application, the module division ofthe apparatus is logical function division, and may be other division inactual implementation. For example, functional modules of the apparatusmay be integrated into one module, or each of the functional modules mayexist alone, or two or more functional modules may be integrated intoone module.

All or some of the methods described in the embodiments of thisapplication may be performed by software, hardware, firmware, or anycombination thereof. When performed by software, all or some of themethods may be performed in a form of a computer program product. Thecomputer program product includes one or more computer instructions.When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on acomputer, all or some of the procedures or functions according to theembodiments of the present invention are generated. The computer may bea general purpose computer, a dedicated computer, a computer network, anetwork device, user equipment, or other programmable apparatus. Thecomputer instruction may be stored in a computer-readable storage mediumor may be transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to othercomputer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructionmay be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center toother website, computer, server, or data center in a wired (for example,a coaxial cable, an optical fiber, or a digital subscriber line (DSL))or wireless (for example, infrared, radio, or microwave) manner. Thecomputer-readable storage medium may be any usable medium accessible toa computer, or a data storage device, such as a server or a data center,including one or more usable media. The usable medium may be a magneticmedium (for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magnetic tape), anoptical medium (for example, a digital video disc (DVD)), asemiconductor medium (for example, an SSD), or the like.

In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used to include one or more.Reference to an element in a singular is intended to mean “one or more”and not to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated. Theforegoing embodiments are intended only for describing the technicalsolutions of this application, but not for limiting the protection scopeof this application. Any modification, equivalent substitution,improvement, and the like made based on the technical solutions of thisapplication shall fall within the protection scope of this application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving a downlinktransmission from a network device in a first bandwidth part, whereinthe downlink transmission comprises a first control channel and a firstdata channel; switching from the first bandwidth part to a thirdbandwidth part; receiving information about a second bandwidth part fromthe network device in the third bandwidth part, wherein the secondbandwidth part is a bandwidth part to be switched to, and the thirdbandwidth part is an access bandwidth part or the third bandwidth partis comprised in one or more candidate operating bandwidth parts; andswitching to the second bandwidth part from the third bandwidth part,wherein the second bandwidth part is usable for receiving ortransmitting a second control channel and a second data channel.
 2. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the first bandwidth part isdifferent from the third bandwidth part.
 3. The method according toclaim 1, wherein receiving the information about the second bandwidthpart from the network device in the third bandwidth part comprises:receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from the networkdevice in the third bandwidth part, wherein the PDCCH carries theinformation about the second bandwidth part.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, further comprising: receiving the information about the secondbandwidth part from the network device in the first bandwidth part,wherein the second bandwidth part is a bandwidth part to be switched to.5. The method according claim 1, wherein receiving the information aboutthe second bandwidth part from the network device in the third bandwidthpart comprises: when the downlink transmission is received from thenetwork device in the first bandwidth part, starting or restarting afirst timer; and when the first timer expires, switching to the thirdbandwidth part from the first bandwidth part, and receiving theinformation about the second bandwidth part from the network device inthe third bandwidth part.
 6. The method according to claim 5, whereinwhen the downlink transmission is received from the network device inthe first bandwidth part, starting or restarting the first timercomprises: when a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is receivedfrom the network device in the first bandwidth part, starting orrestarting the first timer.
 7. The method according to claim 6, whereinthe PDCCH is received in a specific search space.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising: receiving frequency resourcelocation information of the one or more candidate operating bandwidthparts from the network device, wherein the information about the secondbandwidth part indicates that the second bandwidth part is comprised inthe one or more candidate operating bandwidth parts.
 9. An apparatus,comprising: a non-transitory memory; at least one processor coupled tothe memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to executea program stored in the memory to: obtain a downlink transmission from anetwork device in a first bandwidth part, wherein the downlinktransmission comprises a first control channel and a first data channel;switch from the first bandwidth part to a third bandwidth part; obtaininformation about a second bandwidth part from the network device in thethird bandwidth part, wherein the second bandwidth part is a bandwidthpart to be switched to, and the third bandwidth part is an accessbandwidth part or the third bandwidth part is comprised in one or morecandidate operating bandwidth parts; and switch to the second bandwidthpart from the third bandwidth part, wherein the second bandwidth part isused for receiving or transmitting a second control channel and a seconddata channel.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the firstbandwidth part is different from the third bandwidth part.
 11. Theapparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one processor beingconfigured to execute the program stored in the memory to obtain theinformation about the second bandwidth part from the network device inthe third bandwidth part comprises the at least one processor beingconfigured to execute the program stored in the memory to: obtain aphysical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from the network device in thethird bandwidth part, wherein the PDCCH carries the information aboutthe second bandwidth part.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 9,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute theprogram stored in the memory to: obtain the information about the secondbandwidth part from the network device in the first bandwidth part,wherein the second bandwidth part is a bandwidth part to be switched to.13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least oneprocessor being configured to execute the program stored in the memoryto obtain the information about the second bandwidth part from thenetwork device in the third bandwidth part comprises the at least oneprocessor being configured to execute the program stored in the memoryto: when the downlink transmission is obtained from the network devicein the first bandwidth part, start or restart a first timer; and whenthe first timer expires, switch to the third bandwidth part from thefirst bandwidth part, and obtain the information about the secondbandwidth part from the network device in the third bandwidth part. 14.The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processorbeing configured to execute the program stored in the memory to, whenthe downlink transmission is obtained from the network device in thefirst bandwidth part, start or restart the first timer comprises the atleast one processor being configured to execute the program stored inthe memory to: when a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) isobtained from the network device in the first bandwidth part, start orrestart the first timer.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 14,wherein the PDCCH is obtained in a specific search space.
 16. Theapparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one processor isfurther configured to execute the program stored in the memory to:obtain frequency resource location information of the one or morecandidate operating bandwidth parts from the network device, wherein theinformation about the second bandwidth part indicates that the secondbandwidth part is comprised in the one or more candidate operatingbandwidth parts.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 9, furthercomprising: a transceiver; wherein the at least one processor isconfigured to utilize the transceiver to communicate with the networkdevice.
 18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storingprogram instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured tobe executed by a processor of an apparatus to cause the apparatus toperform steps comprising: receiving a downlink transmission from anetwork device in a first bandwidth part, wherein the downlinktransmission comprises a first control channel and a first data channel;switching a user equipment (UE) from the first bandwidth part to a thirdbandwidth part; receiving information about a second bandwidth part fromthe network device in the third bandwidth part, wherein the secondbandwidth part is a bandwidth part to be switched to, and the thirdbandwidth part is an access bandwidth part or the third bandwidth partis comprised in one or more candidate operating bandwidth parts; andswitching the UE to the second bandwidth part from the third bandwidthpart, wherein the second bandwidth part is used for receiving ortransmitting control channel and data channel.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein thefirst bandwidth part is different from the third bandwidth part.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18,wherein receiving the information about the second bandwidth part fromthe network device in the third bandwidth part comprises: receiving aphysical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from the network device in thethird bandwidth part, wherein the PDCCH carries the information aboutthe second bandwidth part.
 21. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium according to claim 18, wherein the program instructionsare configured to be executed by the processor to cause the apparatus toperform steps comprising: receiving the information about the secondbandwidth part from the network device in the first bandwidth part,wherein the second bandwidth part is a bandwidth part to be switched to.22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according toclaim 18, wherein the program instructions being configured to beexecuted by the processor of the apparatus to cause the apparatus toperform steps comprising receiving the information about the secondbandwidth part from the network device in the third bandwidth partcomprises the program instructions being configured to be executed bythe processor of the apparatus to cause the apparatus to perform stepscomprising: when the downlink transmission is received from the networkdevice in the first bandwidth part, starting or restarting a firsttimer; and when the first timer expires, switching a user equipment (UE)to the third bandwidth part from the first bandwidth part, and receivingthe information about the second bandwidth part from the network devicein the third bandwidth part.
 23. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium according to claim 22, wherein the program instructionsbeing configured to be executed by the processor of the apparatus tocause the apparatus to perform steps comprising, when the downlinktransmission is received from the network device in the first bandwidthpart, starting or restarting the first timer comprises: when a physicaldownlink control channel (PDCCH) is received in a specific search spacefrom the network device in the first bandwidth part, starting orrestarting the first timer.
 24. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium according to claim 18, wherein the program instructionsare further configured to be executed by the processor of the apparatusto cause the apparatus to perform steps comprising: receiving frequencyresource location information of the one or more candidate operatingbandwidth parts from the network device, wherein the information aboutthe second bandwidth part indicates that the second bandwidth part iscomprised in the one or more candidate operating bandwidth parts.